Rebellion
by GeorgysGirl
Summary: Draco Malfoy faces up to reality as he relocates from Britain to LA. Rated for swearing.
1. The Choice

Title: Rebellion  
  
Author: Wildecate  
  
Email: wildecate@hotmail.com  
  
Summary: Draco Malfoy rebels.  
  
Notes: Set post BTVS S7 and post ATS S4 and definitely post OOTP.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.   
  
Draco Malfoy swept down the corridor, striding angrily towards the Slytherin common room. He bore an uncanny resemblance to his Head of House, tall and broad shouldered, his robes streaming out either side of him.   
  
Younger students who had been at the receiving end of his fury before, ducked out of his way and those who weren't quick enough were swept aside, landing painfully on their backsides. He left a trail of frightened and angry looking people behind him - even his fellow Slytherins moved aside for him. They knew their Prince well enough to get out of his way when he was in a bad mood.   
  
A bad mood didn't really cover his current state of mind. Towering temper, perhaps was a more accurate description, incandescent with rage was also a good way of putting it. It was only through sheer determination and pride that he wasn't punching every single person in the whole of Hogwarts including Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. He snarled the password at the painting blocking his way, then stalked through the common room, heading to his room. The door slammed behind him and activated his private locking charm.  
  
He stood in the centre of the room, his breath coming in short pants, trying to regain control of himself. Draco realised his hands were shaking and held one out horizontally in front of him, watching the tremors course through his fingers. As the minutes passed he brought himself back under control, his breathing easing and his quivering hand becoming rock steady. It was only then that he moved across to his bed, laying down and staring up at the ceiling.   
  
How dare he? How dare he assume? Demand? Command him, Draco Malfoy to attend before him? The anger flooded over him again, the heat of it warming his skin. He fought the urge to howl loudly, to scream, to give in to what he was feeling. Seven long years he had studied, rivalling Hermione for top marks in some subjects, his achievements unsung and unmarked by everyone. His teachers had not awarded points to him when he had known answers to questions, when he had done well – and that was the way he wanted it to be.   
  
He wore his position of Slytherin Prince like a cloak, a disguise. He worked at it until only those who were in his close circle of friends dared speak to him, Crabbe and Goyle, his lackeys and even Pansy Parkinson remained blissfully unaware that Draco Malfoy was having serious problems with his conscious. He wrestled with it every day, every hour. He hated himself sometimes but he did what was expected of him, to be the villain of the hour, to be the mud blood hater he had been when he was a child. Seven years at Hogwarts, seeing Harry Potter suffer immeasurably sometimes and the jealousy that Draco felt towards him had changed the envious self centred evil boy into a enigmatic man. His hair, once long white locks like his father's, had been cut off at the end of the summer into a cropped style, spiky. Lucius Malfoy had gone insane when he had seen the cut but Draco had simply said it got in his way during Quidditch and he wasn't going to wear it in a ponytail like a girl. This reasoning was fair enough and his father had backed off. His mother had ruffled the short hair with a wistful but understanding expression on her face.  
  
"Don't push his limits, Draco" she had whispered to him before he had returned to school at the beginning of September.   
  
Draco's rebellion raged on internally, the only outward sign of his change of heart was the hair, the tormented expression that his eyes had begun to show. He knew Dumbledore had noticed it and even, on one occasion, had attempted to speak with Draco about it, to sound him out but Draco, unwilling to take those first steps had blocked him out, refusing to talk about it until Dumbledore had backed off, taking the hint.  
  
And now his father, perhaps sensing that his son wasn't the Malfoy that he had been brought up to be was forcing his hand. Or rather his arm. Draco examined the unblemished skin of his forearm, trying to imagine what the Dark Mark would look like, tried to imagine the burning pain that Voldemort could cause with a single touch.   
  
A knock at the door roused him from his thoughts. He briefly considered telling whoever it was to piss off but could not be bothered. Whoever it was could be got rid of easily enough. He heaved himself off the bed and opened the door to find Professor Snape standing in the doorway.  
  
"Professor?" Draco was surprised. The Potions Master made rare appearances in the Common Room and it was even rarer to get a personal visit from him. He stood back to allow the man into the room and then closed the door behind him.  
  
"Lock the door Malfoy" Professor Snape said quietly "We need to talk."  
  
Draco re-activated the charm which his mother had taught him many years ago and then turned to face Snape who was watching him with hooded eyes, his expression blank.  
  
"You wanted to talk?" Draco asked.  
  
"I'm assuming the reason you took out nearly all the first year students and scared the life out of everyone else is because of the letter you received this morning at breakfast." Draco glared at him. He hated being predictable.  
  
"I'm also assuming that your father has commanded you to attend before He Who Must Not Be Named."  
  
All Draco gave was a brief nod of his blonde head and Snape nodded as well.  
  
"Your views on the subject are, of course, well known throughout the school and I'm sure that you will be first in line to serve our Master willingly and with all your heart."  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows at this but answered quietly "Of course."  
  
There was silence for a moment while Snape and Draco stared at each other and Draco felt a pressure behind his eyes which suddenly eased.  
  
"On the other hand, there are some who might say that your Slytherin Prince act is nothing more than that and it hides someone who does not want to serve Voldemort."  
  
Draco's eyes widened involuntarily at this, his fists clenching to stop them from shaking but he had already given himself away.  
  
"If you can't lie to me, you won't be able to lie to him" Snape continued softly. "Trust me on this. He will know whether or not you come willingly and if you do not it will be all the worse for you."  
  
"I am willing" Draco forced the words out but Snape laughed at him, the harshness of the noise shattering the tense atmosphere.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous boy. I've watched you for the last seven years, don't you think that I know that your loyalties have changed?"  
  
"I don't know what you mean" Draco began to panic now. He was well aware that Snape was a Death Eater and perhaps this was part of the test, part of the training.   
  
"I think you do. I think you're scared now, worried that this is part of some test to find out whether you are worthy of bearing the Mark." Snape allowed silence to fall before continuing. "I can assure you that you are wrong."  
  
Draco stared up at him, confusion written all over his face. "I don't understand."  
  
"Use your brain, Malfoy. What do you think I have been doing all these years?"  
  
Realisation trickled into Draco's brain like iced water. Snape was a spy, had been for many years, one foot in Voldemort's camp, one in Dumbledore's. Despite his obvious dislike for the students of Hogwarts, he would protect them with his life if he had to.   
  
"You and I are very similar – stereotypical Slytherins as muggles would say, exhibiting all of the faults and none of the virtues. It's an easy mask to wear, but it's time to take the mask off."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"I think we must face the fact that neither of us are as loyal as perhaps we should be. For me this means carrying on with my life as a teacher here and a spy, perhaps betraying Voldemort and dying by his hand."  
  
"And for me?" Draco asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.  
  
"Well this is the question Mr Malfoy. It is a certain fact that should you face Lord Voldemort, he will see into your heart and mind and he will know that you are not his. And he will kill you. He will make an example of you before all his servants and your family will hang their heads in shame."  
  
Draco's face was stony as the image of his mother crying over him came into his mind.  
  
"There is another option?"  
  
"There is. Professor Dumbledore has suggested sending you away for a short time, until you can think straight and are sure of your path. I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea but the Professor, in his wisdom thinks this is the best choice."  
  
"What choice? I don't understand."  
  
"To walk in shadow or light, Mr Malfoy."  
  
"Shadow or light?"  
  
"You won't ever be a Death Eater Mr Malfoy, I know it and if I know it so will your father and Voldemort. But I'm not entirely sure your feet are firmly planted in Dumbledore's camp either. So what I am suggesting is a short vacation, a break away from the demands of school and your family and house to get your head together. A chance for you to take a step back, get some distance and view the situation with some perspective."  
  
"Perspective?" Draco was aware that he wasn't really taking part in the conversation but couldn't get his mind to work quickly enough to take in what Snape was saying and to make any kind of helpful response.  
  
"Do keep up Mr Malfoy. We're offering you a chance here. A chance to step away from your family, from Slytherin and everything that it stands for. To perhaps make a new life away from here. Because, believe me, if you decide not to follow in your father's footsteps you will be dead within the day – your father will not suffer to be made a fool of."  
  
No, Draco thought, that much is certainly true.   
  
"Dumbledore has suggested that you stay with some friends of ours in America."  
  
"That's some distance" Draco said in surprise.  
  
Snape frowned at the interruption but continued smoothly, explaining Professor Dumbledore's plan. The idea was to get Draco as far away as possible, for him to be near conflicting magical energies which would hide his presence.   
  
"There's a witch living at the place you're going to, she can cast a spell to hide your presence. The time away would be good for you. Give you time to think. To decide if you want to continue how you are and take the risk of being found out or to step out of this completely."  
  
"Step out?" Draco was shocked "You mean not fight?"  
  
"There are other battles Malfoy. Chances are you would not survive this one. Haven't you heard the phrase "live to fight another day?""  
  
"You're talking about running away" Malfoy stated flatly "I won't run to save myself."  
  
An expression of frustration crossed Snape's face "I'm talking about two weeks in America with some people who will give you space when you need it, who know nothing about you and who you don't have to pretend with because they don't you. You could turn up and pretend to be Harry bloody Potter if you wanted to be and they wouldn't know the difference." Snape lied a little, knowing that there was one person who would know full well who Draco Malfoy was and more importantly, who his father was. But he also know this person would not judge Malfoy and would give him a chance.  
  
"America?"  
  
"An exchange program is what the official story is."  
  
"Sounds like it's all organised. What else can I say other than yes?" Draco sighed "When is this break due to take place?"  
  
"Over the Christmas period, so you won't have the take the risk of going home between terms. You can use the Floo System and go straight there on the last day of term and return to the School whenever you want to if you feel you don't want to stay."  
  
"And who is it I'm going to stay with?"  
  
"An old friend of the Professor's. He and some others live in a hotel in Los Angeles and fight the good fight there." Snape's tone changed slightly, becoming slightly sarcastic which Draco did not miss but did not comment on.  
  
"And what is this old friend's name?" he asked.  
  
"Giles. Rupert Giles." 


	2. Hello LA

Draco left Hogwarts on the first day of the school holidays and was glad to leave its empty echoing hallways. His father, predictably, had been proud when Dumbledore had written to him to let him know that Draco had been chosen to take part in this exchange scheme. It was seen as an opportunity to get in touch with other wizards who might be loyal to Voldemort and Draco had been sent several letters by his father, lecturing him and saying that if he proved himself at this task, he may well find his standing with Lord Voldemort massively improved. Draco had shown these letters to Dumbledore who had smiled at him benignly and told him not to worry. This was expected and would be dealt with.  
  
It was with mixed feelings Draco presented himself in Dumbledore's office on that day. His trunk was shrunk to fit into his pocket, his broomstick under one arm and a small bag on his shoulder. On the advice of Snape, he had worn what he mentally termed as "muggle" clothing which Snape had obtained for him. To Draco's surprise, Snape announced that he would be accompanying him to introduce him to his hosts. This trip and all it entailed, the decisions that he was now having to make, had come too soon for Draco and he still wasn't sure quite what was supposed to be achieved by him making this trip.  
  
He stepped out of the fireplace, making room for Professor Snape who followed him seconds later, brushing soot from his robes. Snape took in the occupants of the room and held his hand out to one of them.  
  
It was a tall man, broad shouldered with a calm expression. He had short hair which now more grey than brown, the eyes seemed to be green and his skin was tanned by the Californian sun. He looked tired, as if he had seen too much too soon. Draco, never one for intuition, realised that this was not a man he wanted to see angry.  
  
"Giles."  
  
"Snape."  
  
The two men shook hands hard and briefly before Snape turned his gaze on Draco.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, this is Rupert Giles. He's an old friend, an ex pupil of Professor Dumbledore's."  
  
Draco masked his surprise at Snape ever admitting to having any friends and shook the hand of the now introduced Rupert Giles. The name seemed familiar and had done ever since Snape had first mentioned it but still he couldn't quite figure out where he knew it from.  
  
"You remind me of your mother, even if you look like Lucius" Giles told him as he squeezed his hand hard. Draco stared at him and then at Snape.  
  
"You told me no one would know me."  
  
Snape shrugged one shoulder carelessly "I lied. Rupert Giles is one of the few people who would be able to take a Malfoy in without caring, hence your presence here."  
  
Draco glared at him but Giles' sudden outburst of laughter distracted him.  
  
"Oh yes. He's definitely Lucius' son. As if I had any doubt." Giles abruptly sobered and then gave Draco a thoughtful look. "The question is, how much?"  
  
"Isn't that what I'm here to find out?" Draco answered the question, even though Giles had not expected an answer.  
  
"Yes indeed. This is Angel." Giles introduced the other occupant of the room "You may know him from your studies as Angelus." Draco shook the hand that was held out to him and realised the man's skin was cold. He looked up into the brown eyes and saw a wary, untrusting expression. Someone else knew who he was as well, obviously.  
  
"Angelus? The vampire?" Draco questioned and Angel nodded once, not bothering to speak."  
  
"Angel has a soul now." Giles said simply as if it explained everything. "And now Mr Malfoy, I'll thank you to keep any thoughts you may have regarding muggles and their inferiority to pure blood wizards to yourself. The people in the other room range from Slayers, to an incredibly powerful witch, to muggles who have faced down more evil than your father. They won't take kindly to your prejudices here."  
  
Draco nodded and said "Don't call me Malfoy." He was unsurprised by this, both Snape and Dumbledore had warned him a little of the situation he was going into. Offending Slayers was not a good idea and since there was a vampire around, Draco decided not he would not be putting a toe out of line for a good while.  
  
"Fine Draco. I assume you have your luggage on you?" Draco pulled his trunk out of his pocket, took his wand out and gave it a little wave, until the trunk grew back to its normal size.  
  
"I'm not sure if there's anywhere you'll be able to ride that" Giles nodded to his broomstick "but we'll see what we can do."  
  
"I need to get back to the School" Snape said "If you need to contact me, let Giles know and we'll arrange it. The others believe you are here for your own protection, which up to a point is true. Take your time, enjoy yourself. Learn how they live. And most of all ask yourself this. Are you ready to become the one thing you have hated for so long? Or are you ready to join us and fight against Voldemort? The second you make that decision, the minute you choose, there is no going back and it is likely that you will suffer badly at the hands of your family and Voldemort if you do decide that."  
  
Snape nodded to Giles and then stepped back into the fireplace, taking a handful of Floo powder from the container Giles held out then dropped it at his feet, calling out "Professor Dumbledore's office" leaving Draco alone.  
  
"Right then, I suppose we better get you introduced to people and settled in."  
  
"Why do so many people live here?" Draco asked.  
  
"It's a long story, one which I don't think anyone is really ready to tell at the moment. But the battle we have just fought claimed an entire town, all of our homes and loved one's lives. Angel is kind enough to give us shelter until we decide what we're doing next."  
  
Angel opened the door and Draco followed. Giles pulled a wand out of his pocket and muttered under his breath, moving Draco's trunk along in front of him. He hadn't lost his touch.  
  
The office opened out into a large foyer, light and airy with the sun streaming down on to the marble floor. Draco could see the remains of what looked like a pentagram inscribed on the floor. Nice. There were some people grouped together at what looked like a large cupboard and his eyes caught the sparkle of sunlight on metal.  
  
"This is not a R'bina axe, Wes" insisted a girl who looked like Barbie. She was tiny, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and her features typically American, tanned skin, hazel eyes and a big smile. She flourished the axe easily as she spoke.  
  
"And how, pray tell, would you know that?" the English accent immediately caught Draco's attention. It was a man, in his early thirties by the look of him, brown haired with vivid blue eyes. He took the axe from the girl, inspecting the blade.  
  
"Because you use R'bina axes to kill Polmora demons and I killed one of those about two weeks ago and I didn't use this!"  
  
"What did you use?" Wes asked sardonically.  
  
The blonde girl hesitated for a moment, skimming through the contents of the cupboard and the weapons in front of her before triumphantly pulling another axe from the pile at her feet.  
  
"This one" she said smugly.  
  
Wes took it from her, holding them out before him, before shaking his head and handing them both back to the girl.  
  
"They're both R'bina axes, Buffy. We have more than one."  
  
Her smug expression fell and the others laughed before turning to see Giles, Angel and Draco coming across the floor to join them.  
  
"Hey Giles, did you know we had more than one R'bina axe?" the girl asked.   
  
"And more importantly, who's the hottie?" one of the other girls spoke, and Draco's eyes went straight to her in amusement.  
  
Giles sighed in annoyance, something Draco would learn that he did regularly, giving the girl who had spoken an irritated glance.  
  
"This is Draco Malfoy, he's my godson."   
  
Draco gave Giles a sharp look. He had not been told that before but Giles continued without giving Draco a chance to say anything. Draco decided he would take it up with the man later – it sounded like they had a fair amount of talking to do.  
  
"He's over from England for a short time, under our protection. Draco, this is Wes Wyndham-Pryce" Giles indicated the man who had won the axe argument, "Buffy Summers, my Slayer" Buffy was the girl with the axes and she juggled them into one hand so she could shake his, "Faith, another Slayer" the stunning brunette who had called him a hottie gave him a little wave, "Charles Gunn", a dark skinned man who was sitting cross legged on the floor, sharpening a sword nodded at him, "and this is Dawn Summers, Buffy's sister."   
  
Holy mother of god. Draco couldn't breathe for a moment. She was tall, taller than the two Slayers, slender, with long loose brown hair, laughing eyes, pouty lips and creamy skin. Godamn it, she was hotter than all the girls at Hogwarts put together.   
  
"Hey" she said.  
  
"Hey" he answered, unable to frame a coherent thought.  
  
"You any good with weapons Draco?" Buffy asked hopefully but Giles interrupted her.  
  
"I'm just going to show Draco to his room, perhaps you would like to order some food, pizza perhaps?" Giles obviously knew the best way to divert Buffy and she gave a visible jump at the idea of pizza.  
  
"OK. We'll just finish sorting these out."  
  
"Don't put them in alphabetical order again" Angel spoke for the first time, his accent lilting slightly and Draco remembered that he was originally Irish.  
  
"How else are we supposed to find anything?" Wes argued.  
  
"It doesn't make any difference" Charles Gunn said from his seat on the floor "All we usually do is grab the first sharp thing anyway. What does it matter what the name of it is?"  
  
"Because this happens to be the only thing in the world that'll kill a Polmora demon" Wes said stiffly, taking an axe from Buffy.  
  
"Not the only thing" Buffy grinned "because we have two of them."  
  
Draco couldn't help but smile at the Slayer's quick humour and neither could anyone else, except for Giles who tutted, rolled his eyes and began to head towards the stairs. Draco followed him quickly, catching up with him half way up the stairs.  
  
"I've put you in the room next to me" Giles explained as he and Draco walked down the carpeted corridor.   
  
"Are they always like that?" Draco asked.  
  
"Nope. Usually they're worse. God alone knows how we manage sometimes" Giles shook his head but Draco could tell he had real affection for the group downstairs.  
  
He stopped at a door with "17" on it and pushed it open.   
  
"Dawn cleaned it up for you." Giles said and at that Draco felt his stomach contract. That gorgeous creature downstairs had done that? She had been thinking of him?  
  
"Tell her thank you" he managed to get out.  
  
"You can tell her yourself later" Giles said, his long years with Buffy and her friends making him sensitive to boyhood embarrassment with girls. "I'll leave you to get settled. Come down whenever you're ready. What kind of pizza do you like?"  
  
"Pizza?"  
  
"It's an Italian dish" Giles began, reminding himself that Draco had grown up in a different world. One that might not contain pizza. Draco's eyes flashed in annoyance and Giles reminded himself that he was a Malfoy as well.  
  
"I know what it is. We've holidayed in Rome. I like spicy food. "Chicken preferably."  
  
Giles raised an eyebrow at his tone but Draco carried on.  
  
"And while we're talking…. god father?"  
  
Giles frowned at him. "We're going to need some time to talk about this Draco. But I suggest we leave it for the moment. Perhaps tomorrow we can spend some time together but for now, settle in, meet the others and get to know them."  
  
"But…."  
  
"Tomorrow." Giles' tone brooked no disagreement and reluctantly Draco nodded his assent.   
  
"Spicy chicken it is. You'll be popular with Fred. That's her favourite as well."  
  
Giles left the room, leaving Draco to mull over his words. Then something stuck up its hand and waved a mental flag at him. Didn't he said Fred? Wasn't that a girl's name? 


	3. Bonding

Draco sat on the sand which was still warm from the heat of the day. He was wearing faded jeans, a white t shirt borrowed from Xander and a jacket which had belonged to Angel until it had been appropriated by Dawn for this outing. He had been in LA for nearly a week now and Dawn, determined that he not waste his time moping around the Hyperion or fighting evil, had brought him down to the beach for one of her favourite moments.  
  
"What are we doing here?" a trace of impatience crept into his tone. He was more than happy to spend time with this delightful creature but he still didn't understand what he was doing here on this beach.  
  
"Shut up and watch" she said back, laughing at his growing annoyance.  
  
He turned his attention on the darkening sky and watched as Nature spread her beauty out before him, the bright sky fading slowly as the sun sank beneath the horizon, almost setting the sky on fire as it glowed fiery red. The air itself seemed to change from the hard edged clarity of the day to rose tinted before the light diminished. Night spread her fingers across the sky, the clouds altering from fluffy white to yellow, orange, red, pink and then purple.   
  
Draco and Dawn sat on their sand dune peacefully, watching the stars come out and sparkle in the sky above them. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like hours and finally, Dawn realised that she was hungry. They had been out for most of the day, she had been showing Draco around and had decided that an LA sunset was something he should see before he went back to Britain.  
  
Draco, for his part, was silently touched that she would share something like this with him and happy too. Happy and relaxed for the first time in a long time. It had been a strange week at the Hyperion Hotel.   
  
************************  
  
He and Giles had had their "chat" but, being British, it had lasted a little less than twenty minutes, both of them saying simply what had to be said. Giles briefly explained why he had left England, his status was Buffy's Watcher and how proud he was that Draco might not be following in his father's footsteps. Finally Giles rolled up his sleeve and showed Draco the tattoo that marked him apart from the others.   
  
"This isn't a silly teenage game Draco" Giles said seriously "this is life or death. Voldemort is not someone who lets people walk away easily."  
  
"You did" but there was no challenge in the young man's voice, no disbelief.  
  
"I went to a Hellmouth. The Council, well aware of my somewhat shady and less than respectable past, faked my death and covered my disappearance. I've lived over here for the last seven or eight years now. I'm very difficult to track down unless I want to be found."  
  
"You knew my mother?" Draco remembered the almost reverent tone Giles had used when he had seen a picture of Narcissa, flipping her hair elegantly over her shoulder and giving a small smile to the observer. Not reverent. Longing. There had been a tone of longing in Giles' voice.  
  
"I did. Long ago. Before your father claimed her as his own. Make no mistake Draco, your father and I walked very similar paths for many years. How else do you think I managed to become your godfather? But times change. People change. Even me."  
  
"You were a Watcher for a Slayer."  
  
"For Buffy. And I learned something about bravery and courage through her, and Xander and Willow."  
  
************************  
  
Yes, Willow. She was a whole different story. Draco's thoughts moved to her for a moment, remembering the pale, tired looking girl who had entered his room, walking softly. She had held out her hand to him and he had felt a feeling run through him, raising gooseflesh on his arms. She tilted her head to one side curiously, staring into his face as if she was trying to see his very soul.  
  
Then she had dropped his hand and turned back to Giles.  
  
"The spell is cast. They won't be able to find him. And anyone who looks at him will see Xander."  
  
"Xander?" Draco was dismayed. "Why Xander?"  
  
Willow turned back to him "Because there are Voldemort's servants even here in LA Draco and all they'll need to do is take one look at you to know who you are. Especially if, as Giles says, you're the spitting image of your father. So I've cast a glamour on you and I know Xander well so he's the easiest for me to do. Unless you'd rather look like me?" she gave him a brief grin as he shook his head slowly.  
  
"The conflict spell is also cast. No one will be able to track you or find you. We will see you looking as you but anyone else won't."   
  
"Thanks" he managed to say.  
  
"No problem" she said and Draco saw the girl that Willow Rosenburg had once been and a hint of the woman she would be. For now, she looked tired and weary. The spell that she had used to activate the Slayers had drained her energy, much more than anyone could have guessed it would. She was still weak but was gaining in strength every day. If he was being frank and honest with himself, she scared the fuck out of him.   
  
She gave him a grin which let him know that she knew exactly what he was thinking and it didn't bother her in the slightest. She headed back out of the door, moving slowly but much surer of her feet than she had been a few days before.  
  
************************  
  
Draco lay back on the sand, feeling the grittiness of the sand underneath him. He stared up at the heavens, remembering Firenze's beautiful voice rolling over him, concentrating on trying to discern the future of the world in the twinkling dots of light hundreds of thousands of miles away. He felt a sudden pang for home, not the Malfoy estate but Hogwarts.  
  
Dawn lay down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder, folding her arms on her stomach. She could hear his heart throbbing in his chest, his body moving up and down with every breath he took. Not for a long time had she felt this peaceful.  
  
************************  
  
Draco had not just spent his time with Giles and Willow. Buffy had taken him under her wing. She had spent a while taking the mickey out of him before off handedly offering to teach him a few moves. He had accepted and the two of them had spent some long hours in the room that Angel had rigged up for training, Buffy working Draco until he could barely stand.  
  
The first time he had stripped off his shirt to face her in a vest and training trousers, she had just stopped to stare at him. He stared back at her, taking in the shocked expression on her face.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked.   
  
"You…. You just remind me of someone." Buffy shook her head for a moment as if to clear it and assumed her fighting position.  
  
"Come on, like I showed you. Weight on the balls of your feet. Focus."  
  
Buffy had been forcibly reminded of someone else. Someone else tall and blonde with beautiful eyes, a sculpted physique and the same look in their eye. The confused, torment that lurked at the back of his gaze. The expression that meant "I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore."  
  
She had been so lost in her thoughts that she only just moved as Draco's arm came past her head, but she wasn't ready for the foot that hooked itself around hers and she tumbled backwards, landing on her back and staring up at him with shocked eyes.  
  
"That was pretty good" she said, standing back, trying to maintain her dignity.  
  
"Oh please" they began to spar again, Buffy's mind now completely focused on Draco's movements "you weren't even thinking about me."  
  
Buffy's mind began to drift off again. Oh god, she thought, he even moves like him. Draco gracefully stepped out of her way as she lunged at him and although she wasn't using her full strength, she noticed that he was pretty strong as well.   
  
"Come on" he laughed, not realising he was echoing the words of someone else "don't hold back. Hit me."   
  
Fuck it, Buffy thought, and suddenly she couldn't help herself. She stepped back to allow them both a chance to recover before she began her onslaught. He began well enough, attacking her and blocking her moves with ease, but as she stepped up the pace and the force of her blows, he fell back, defending himself as best he could until he was backed up against the wall. She was raining blows down on his chest, a blank expression on her face.  
  
"Buffy?" he shouted and she stared at him for a moment, her face confused.  
  
"No, no, no" she screamed at him, her face dissolving into sadness and tears, before dropping to her knees. He fell with her, pulling her against him, allowing her to cry, the sobs working their way out of her body painfully. Draco was confused, concerned and deeply worried about the girl. He shouted at the top of his voice for help.   
  
Giles came skidding down the stairs with Angel and Faith close on his heels. They stopped abruptly at the sight of Buffy on her knees in Draco's arms. He was looking down at her with an unreadable expression on her face, holding her close and stroking her hair as she sobbed against him.   
  
Angel knelt beside the pair on the floor and opened his arms. Draco carefully disengaged Buffy from her grip on him and she wrapped her arms around Angel and he lifted her easily, and left the room with the tiny Slayer huddled against him, Faith following them silently.  
  
Draco remained where he was, kneeling on the floor, watching them leave.   
  
"What happened?" Giles asked, joining Draco on the floor.  
  
"We were fighting one minute and she was crying the next. Said I reminded her of someone."  
  
Giles assessed Draco for a moment and saw what Buffy saw.  
  
"Spike?"  
  
"Pardon me?"  
  
"You remind her of Spike."  
  
Draco sat and looked at Giles, remembering that Dawn had told him about Spike.  
  
"Oh" he said flatly.  
  
"Yes" Giles answered. He eyed the bruises that were beginning to blossom on Draco's chest and arms where Buffy, uncaringly, had hit him.  
  
"Come on. Let's see to those bruises." Draco allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and followed Giles up the stairs.  
  
************************  
  
The bruises were still showing, although covered up by the t shirt Draco had borrowed from Xander. Buffy had been incredibly embarrassed the next time she saw him but he had shrugged it off, understanding that she had needed to get it out of her system and saying that he had been happy to help. He had jokingly offered to dye his white locks, wear a hat or even wear a wig. She had managed a smile for him and he had felt a curious feeling of pride go through him.  
  
Dawn lay peacefully beside him, her head a welcome weight on his chest.   
  
Hogwarts seemed so far away, the world of NEWTS and Dumbledore and where he was expected to act as a Malfoy seemed a million miles away from the sun soaked beaches of California. How could he possibly return home now?   
  
He had accompanied the others out one night as they cleaned out a vampire nest and he had never had so much fun in his life. He was thankful that Buffy had given him a few pointers on the fighting business. He wasn't able to use his magic outside Hogwarts so any other means of defence was fine by him.  
  
Dawn lifted herself off Draco and sat up blinking. She had almost fallen asleep on him but it was a hell of a walk back to the hotel and LA in the dark wasn't the safest plan ever.  
  
************************  
  
Giles glanced up as Dawn and Draco came in. It was late evening, and although Dawn had had her phone on her, neither of them had called. No one had gone running after them, cosseting them, protecting them. There were other things to worry about now and Dawn had grown up immeasurably and was old enough now not to get herself into trouble.  
  
There seemed an aura of peace about them, calmness. Something that they had found in each other, perhaps.   
  
The two of them disappeared upstairs and no one said anything although Giles noticed Buffy's eyes lingering on the retreating back of her sister.   
  
"Nothing will happen tonight Buffy" Giles reassured her "Trust Dawn, even if you don't trust him."  
  
Buffy gave her Watcher a smile "I trust them. It's nice to see her happy and not constantly fleeing evil. It's nice that she has her own friend."  
  
She glanced up the stairs to where her sister had disappeared, and then snuggled back into Angel's arms, feeling safe and comforted. She was glad Dawn had someone to feel that way with too.  
  
************************  
  
Draco shed his jacket on the chair and settled himself on the bed. Dawn followed him silently, still not saying a word. She kicked her trainers off and joined him on the bed, tucking herself in the crook of his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent. Draco pulled her close, resting his cheek on her smooth hair and she wriggled, turning on to her side, laying an arm across his stomach, and draping a leg across his.  
  
"Comfy?" he asked.  
  
"Very. You?"  
  
"Yup"  
  
Dawn closed her eyes and fell asleep and within a breath Draco followed her. They slept peacefully together, finding comfort in the presence of the other. They did not even stir when Buffy and Angel   
  
swung the door open a few hours later to look in on them.   
  
"Young love" Buffy sighed as she closed the door on the Draco and Dawn. 


	4. Precarious Position

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not none of it. Extract from Numb by Linkin Park.  
  
Caritas was quiet on the night that Dawn took Draco there to meet The Host. Draco shook hands with him, a cautious expression on his face having not met up with any friendly demons before.  
  
Lorne took in the silent young man who reminded him so much of Angel. Perhaps it was the brooding. Or the way his jacket accentuated his broad shoulders. Or perhaps it was the haunted expression on his face. He was giving off some pretty major vibes, probably without even realised it. The spell that Willow cast meant that no one saw Draco's true self unless he wanted them too. Draco wanted Lorne to see him for what he truly was. Lorne felt a shudder go through him as he shook hands with Draco Malfoy as he matched the feeling Draco gave him with another. The same feeling Angel gave off. It was a real case of still waters running deep with this boy and Lorne didn't want to be anywhere nearby when his control broke. It wouldn't be pretty.  
  
Lorne then turned his attention to the kid who had stolen his heart, Dawn Summers. She looked happier than she had done for a long time, her eyes bright and shiny and a smile playing around her lips. She was almost bouncing with delight although Lorne couldn't quite put his finger on why. He turned back to Draco and raised an eyebrow at him.   
  
Lorne had suddenly worked out what was going on here. The boy had some pretty serious mojo and not all of it good. And he was willing to lay bets that little Summers here didn't know anything about it. Lorne was well aware that Draco was Giles' godson and was staying at the Hyperion for his own "protection". But he guessed that none of the crew apart from Angel and Giles knew anything about Draco and Draco was intent on it staying that way.  
  
He gave Dawn and Draco his most welcoming smile. "Evening kids. You going to grace me with a song?"  
  
Draco turned to Dawn "You didn't tell me I have to sing!"  
  
She shrugged innocently but nodded at Lorne "Later though OK?"  
  
"Sure, the mike is always waiting for you honey."   
  
Lorne watched as the teens made their way to a table, ordering drinks and snacks and then settled down to chat happily. The Host's attention was diverted then by the Rayok demon who was crucifying some sort of ballad. He focused on him for a moment and then wished he hadn't. The nausea that washed over him meant he didn't notice the two humans entering the club, taking a booth in the corner. Dawn and Draco didn't notice them either, too entranced in each other.  
  
The hours passed and the club began to empty. Dawn decided she had enough courage to sing and she flicked through the list with Draco watching her face. He loved watching her. Her face, never relaxed except in sleep, was so beautiful. The expressions that passed across her features made her incredibly easy to read, especially for him, someone used to watching people's body language. Eventually she found a song she wanted to sing, something by Britney Spears and pulled herself together and headed towards the stage.  
  
Draco knew the song, he had been subjected to various kinds of muggle music over the previous three weeks but had taken more of a liking to the heavier music, the stuff that Xander and Faith listened to rather than what he privately termed as bubble gum pop – the stuff that Dawn liked listening to.  
  
He jumped a little when a hand brushed his shoulder but relaxed when Lorne took Dawn's vacated seat. Lorne didn't need to stress himself out to read Dawn. Half the time the girl didn't even need to sing. She was pure, sweet natured, compassionate, intense and loving. She was falling for Draco, he could tell although she was trying very hard not to. She was a sensible girl but she didn't know what she was getting herself into.  
  
"So, when are you going to tell her?" Lorne asked conversationally.  
  
"Tell her what?" Draco answered, not really listening to him, his attention focused on Dawn on the stage.  
  
"About who you really are? You're probably doing a swell job getting her to talk about herself, telling you about all the fun they had back in Sunnydale. I bet she hasn't even realised she doesn't know your Dad's name."  
  
At that Draco flicked an ice cold glance at Lorne and Lorne flinched a little. This boy was in a league of his own with glares – even Cordy wouldn't have been able to compete.  
  
"She doesn't need to" he answered quietly.  
  
"You know she's falling for you, right? And I reckon you're falling just as fast for her. But lies, even lying by omission is no way to start a relationship – especially with this girl."  
  
Lorne knew he was walking on thin ice here. It hadn't even occurred to Draco that Dawn might have the same sort of feelings for him that he was beginning to feel for her.   
  
"I'm leaving in a week's time. I probably won't ever see her again."  
  
"Well, I think that depends very much on you doesn't it?"  
  
Dawn finished her song and jumped off the stage.  
  
"Well?" she was expectant and Lorne knew she wanted.  
  
"OK hun. Why doesn't Draco here go up and sing us something and I'll let you into the secrets of your heart."  
  
"Do you know what you want to sing?" Dawn asked Draco. He skimmed down the list and a song sprang out at him. He recognised the title, remembering it from one of Faith's CDs.  
  
"I'll sing this one" he said, pointing it out to Lorne but not letting Dawn see it.  
  
"How appropriate" Lorne's tone was dry and he went with Draco on to the stage to set up the machine.  
  
Draco found the view from the stage completely different that he had expected. The spotlights shone in his eyes, blotting out Dawn and Lorne and everyone else in the club. He knew that most people had left which was one of the reasons he had agreed to go through with this. The other reason was that after three weeks with these people he was even less clear in his mind about what he wanted to do.   
  
"Speaking to Lorne would be a good idea" Giles agreed when Draco mentioned where he and Dawn were going that night.   
  
Because of that, and only because of that, Draco was standing on this stage. The version of the song he had picked was an acoustic version of a heavy song. He knew the words, had listened to the CD several times after having borrowed it from Faith. It somehow echoed his feeling at that moment completely perfectly.  
  
I'm tired of being what you want me to be   
  
Feeling so faithless   
  
Lost under the surface  
  
I don't know what you're expecting of me  
  
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes   
  
Every step that I take is another mistake to you   
  
I've become so numb  
  
I can't feel you there  
  
Become so tired  
  
So much more aware  
  
I'm becoming this  
  
All I want to do  
  
Is be more like me  
  
And be less like you   
  
Lorne sat back and listened, extending every sense he had to try and get a full sense of the boy.  
  
Draco's voice was low and gravelly, and he sang from the heart, meaning every single word he said. His eyes were shut otherwise he would have seen the looks the men in the corner were giving him and each other.  
  
"Our Lord is not going to be impressed by this."  
  
And the reply. "His father is not going to be impressed with this."  
  
Lorne, who was sitting quietly in his chair, eyes shut, mind completely open, heard the comment, felt the shiver of terror behind the thought and the menace behind the comment.  
  
"Perhaps he should meet with a small accident?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. We're supposed to be observing him, not making sure he meets with a small accident."  
  
There was a pause before one of them spoke again  
  
"Why don't we have a quiet word with Mr Malfoy?"  
  
"Good plan."  
  
Lorne stayed completely still, not moving a single muscle. Draco finished his song and joined Dawn and Lorne at the table. Dawn hugged him hard, pleased that he had done so well.   
  
"Well?" she asked excitedly.  
  
"What can I say? You're going to have a tall dark stranger in your life, get married and have four children and live happily ever after." Lorne said cheerily, lying for all his worth.  
  
Draco quirked an eyebrow at him disbelievingly. He didn't understand why Lorne was lying to him or why he was so sure he was being lied to.  
  
"It's late, shouldn't you two be heading home?" Lorne hinted to them. Draco nodded and he and Dawn made to leave when Lorne called him back.  
  
He whispered in Draco's ear briefly and Draco stepped back sharply, glaring at the green skinned demon who shrugged as if to say "your choice, mate". Draco returned to Dawn with a set expression on his face.  
  
Minutes after Draco and Dawn had left the club, the men left as well, Lorne watching them leave with an expression of relief on his face. Every man had his path to walk. It was just that Draco Malfoy was a long way from his.  
  
****************************************  
  
Draco and Dawn were nearly home when two figures stepped in front of them. They were robed in black, hooded, casting a shadow over their features.   
  
"Excuse me" Dawn said politely, making to move around them. One of the men stepped in front of her, blocking her way.  
  
"Can I help you?" she asked sarcastically, taking in their strange attire.  
  
"Actually I believe we can help you."  
  
"And how is that?" Draco pulled Dawn back behind him.  
  
"We would like to prevent you from making a big mistake. Mr Malfoy."  
  
Draco's heart sank. Oh fuck, he thought. And his second thought was for Dawn's safety. I can't protect her like this, he thought.  
  
"We would like you to re-think your options. We believe you may have been …. led astray by certain people." The dark gaze went to Dawn, standing behind Draco, before going back to the boy.   
  
"I'm not entirely sure why you think you have anything to do with my 'options' but I can tell you now it's none of your business."  
  
The men dropped their hoods and Draco's heart, if it was possible, sank even lower. There was a perfectly good reason why these men were asking him to re-think his options. Goyle and Crabbe Senior.  
  
"Oh fuck"   
  
Dawn turned to him, confused. "Draco, I don't understand. What's going on? Who are these people?"  
  
Draco remained silent, his gaze locked on Goyle's, almost daring him. "Go on, try it" he was saying with his eyes but Goyle's face remained calm.  
  
"We cannot force you, of course, but we would like to remind you of certain….obligations. Your mother, for example, would be in a precarious position should your decision be unacceptable to your father."  
  
Draco knew what he was being told. He knew then that Dumbledore's attempt to keep him safe, to give him breathing space, had not worked. He had been under surveillance the entire time. And they were telling him very clearly that should he make the wrong decision that he wouldn't necessarily be the one paying the penalty.  
  
"Draco?" Dawn's voice brought him back to reality. Fuck. Dawn. She didn't know anything about this and he wanted it to stay that way.  
  
"I'll think about it" he told Goyle and Crabbe and made to move past them, tugging Dawn with him. Goyle's hand came out with surprising force and slammed into Draco's shoulder, pushing him against the wall.  
  
"If I were you, I would do substantially more than think about it."  
  
The pressure on his shoulder was released. With a large cracking sound, the two robed figures vanished in thin air, leaving Dawn and Draco alone in the dark street.  
  
Dawn turned to Draco, her face angry in the lamplight.  
  
"What the hell was that about?"  
  
***************************  
  
Giles came to the top of the stairs at the rising sound of an argument echoing the hotel lobby. Draco's, frustrated, defensive and angry, and Dawn's, absolutely furious. The expression on Dawn's face mirrored the one he had seen on Buffy's once. A long time ago, when Giles had tricked her, betrayed her to carry out the Council's bidding. It had taken a long time for Buffy to regain her trust in Giles. Dawn's face showed full on anger and betrayal. Giles certainly would not ever want to be on the receiving end of that again and felt briefly sorry for Draco. He stayed exactly where he was, out of sight, but within listening distance.   
  
"You lied to me. You sat there and you lied to me."  
  
"I haven't lied to you Dawn." Draco's voice was insistent.  
  
"No, you're right. You didn't lie to me. You just didn't tell me" Dawn shouted at him. "Didn't you think it was important to mention that your father is one of the most evil men in England and he's expecting you to follow in his footsteps?"  
  
"And how exactly was I supposed to do that?" Draco asked sarcastically. "Oh hey Dawn, you're looking lovely today. By the way, I just wanted to mention the fact that my father is one of the most evil men in England."  
  
"At least you would have told me!" Dawn yelled back at him. "But no! You didn't say anything. You've managed to dodge every single question I've ever asked about your family, your home, your school, your life. I barely know you but you know everything about me. EVERYTHING!" Her tone rose and Giles winced, hearing a few more doors open in the corridor. Buffy and Angel came to join him at the top of the stairs, sitting down on the top step with him. Xander, Faith and Fred joined them a few minutes later, watching the two teens screaming at each other in the lobby.  
  
"I have laid myself open to you in a way I never thought possible. I have shared everything with you and you have shut me out. I thought I was important to you, I thought I mattered!"  
  
"You do matter, Dawn" Draco's voice was quiet but Dawn carried on, ignoring him.  
  
"I don't care that you've only been here a few weeks. I thought we had something. We were friends."  
  
"Dawn….."  
  
"But no. You lied to me. You didn't bother telling me that you weren't here for protection at all. You were here to help you decide whether you wanted to join the white hats or to follow your Dad and kill half of England."  
  
"Dawn you're being hysterical." Draco's voice was patient.  
  
"I don't care" she yelled at him "I've got every right to be hysterical. Don't you think I have EVERY RIGHT TO BE HYSTERICAL?"  
  
"I think you are overreacting" Draco said calmly.  
  
"I DON'T CARE" she screamed again.   
  
Dawn turned away from him for a moment, trying to regain some kind of control before turning to face him again.  
  
"I hate being lied to. I've been lied to by nearly every single person in this hotel. I've been lied to by Giles, by Buffy, by Xander and Willow. I'm almost used to it. Being treated as the kid. The child. Don't tell Dawn, she can't deal. But I expected more from you."  
  
"Dawn, I never thought that…" Draco began.  
  
"Did I sound like I had finished?" Dawn snapped. "But I thought we were being honest with each other. And here you are announcing that you're evil."  
  
"I'm not evil."   
  
"Oh no? Sure as hell sounded like it."  
  
"I'M NOT EVIL" Draco yelled at her "I don't want to be evil. I don't want to be like my Dad. But I don't have a choice now. Or are you deaf as well as hysterical?"  
  
A sharp slap echoed through the hotel and the voyeurs at the top of the hotel winced as Dawn's hand cracked across Draco's face.   
  
There was silence for a moment, the only sound was Dawn's hard breathing. She looked like she wanted to apologise but instead folded her arms and stuck her chin out. Draco ran his fingers over the red mark on his face before grabbing hold of Dawn's arms and shaking her hard.  
  
"I don't have a choice Dawn. Didn't you hear what they said? My mother is in a precarious position. It means that if I don't do what I'm supposed to, then people will suffer. People I love."  
  
"You don't know what love is." Dawn's voice was scornful.  
  
Draco let go of Dawn and turned away from her, folding his arms around himself defensively.   
  
"You don't understand. You couldn't ever understand."  
  
"You didn't even give me the chance."   
  
With that Dawn turned on her heel and began to walk towards the stairs. There was a mass scramble at the top of the stairs as the group headed into the nearest room and shut the door quietly.  
  
Dawn stalked past and they heard her door slam at the end of the corridor.  
  
"I better make sure she's OK" Buffy said but Giles laid a hand on her arm.  
  
"I think I better go. I have some explaining to do."  
  
Buffy's face was incredulous. "You knew about this?"  
  
His face was inscrutable but he nodded. Buffy rolled her eyes and glared at him.  
  
"Great. Just great."  
  
"Buffy…." but she held her hand up at him and he knew that he had seriously overstepped the mark with her.   
  
"I don't want to know" she said "I guess you had your reasons though."  
  
"I can only say that you have to trust me on this. I had my reasons."  
  
"OK" she nodded. "You better go to Dawn. I'll go to Draco."  
  
*************************  
  
Draco stood alone in the moonlit garden of the Hyperion Hotel. He was so angry. He didn't know who he was the most angry with, himself, Dawn, his father, Dumbledore or Voldemort. He settled for himself and swung at a pillar, cracking his fist hard against the stone.   
  
"It won't make you feel any better" Buffy's voice sounded behind him but he didn't bother turning round.  
  
"Couldn't make me feel any worse" he answered dryly, inspecting the chips embedding in his knuckles and blood which was beginning to flow from the wounds.  
  
"I heard what happened" she said hesitantly.  
  
Draco gave a mirthless laugh "What? And you've come to give me a hard time too? It's ok, thanks. I already feel like shit. I might as well go back to Malfoy Mansion right now and take the Dark Mark."  
  
"Would it be worth it?" Buffy settled herself on the ground near the fountain and he sat down beside her. She took his hand in hers and began to tug the shrapnel from his flesh, him wincing every time.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
They sat in silence for a while, Buffy dipping Draco's hand in the pool to wash the blood from his hand.   
  
"She's really angry with me" he said flatly.  
  
"Yep. But I don't think you can blame her."  
  
"I don't blame her. She's got every right to be angry." Draco sighed "But she doesn't understand. And I couldn't ever explain."  
  
"Giles has gone to explain to her." Buffy told him but Draco just shook his head.  
  
"It won't help."  
  
"It's going to take a while before she can forgive or trust you again. I'm speaking from experience here."  
  
"I'm going to go home, Buffy. Back to Hogwarts. I can't stay here any more."  
  
"That's the coward's way out" Buffy's tone was disapproving.  
  
"I don't want to be here anymore."  
  
"Running away won't help either. I have experience there too."  
  
Draco stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothes before looking down at the Slayer.  
  
"It's strange. For a while I was beginning to think there was a way out of this. But there isn't. They found me, even with Willow's spell. I think I must have wanted to be found otherwise how else would they have seen the real me and not the Xander me? I think that it would be best all round. I'll go back to what I'm supposed to be. Prince of Slytherin. Typical Malfoy. I'll do what is expected of me."  
  
"You don't have to do that" Buffy argued "Stay here. Help us. You're good at what you do. We can keep you safe."  
  
Draco smiled at her sadly. "You can't protect me. I don't want to be protected. I have people of my own to look after. People who will get hurt if I stay here."  
  
He walked out of the garden, through the lobby, up the stairs, along the corridor and into his room. Almost on autopilot he repacked his trunk, his bag and picked up his broomstick.   
  
He headed back down the stairs and into the office. With a handful of powder in his hand he stepped into the fireplace, dropped it at his feet and said quietly "Professor Dumbledore's Chambers". The green flames flared up and licked around him before dying down, leaving the fireplace empty. 


	5. Giles Comes Clean

Dumbledore was seated working peacefully at his desk and glanced up as a bright green fire flared up in the grate. The figure of Draco Malfoy emerged from the flames, stepping on the rug and shaking off the soot that clung to his clothes.   
  
"Mr Malfoy, you're back early" Professor Dumbledore laid down his quill and stared at the blonde haired boy intently.  
  
Draco Malfoy gazed back at him levelly, a shuttered look on his face. He wasn't going to be pushed around by this man. He was Draco Malfoy and this time, he wouldn't forget it. He wouldn't be led astray be delusions of being Draco Potter. Once a Malfoy always a Malfoy.  
  
"LA air not agree with you?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Apparently not, Sir" Draco replied, hefting his broomstick on to his shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that" Dumbledore eyed his student concernedly "Do I take it a decision was reached?"  
  
Draco, who was heading down the steps towards the door out of Dumbledore's chamber, dropped his broomstick and strode back to the Professor's desk.  
  
"So much for all of your assurance that I would be safe, free from being watched! So yes, Professor Dumbledore, you can take it a decision was reached."  
  
"It was the safest place we could think of at the time. Rupert Giles is the closest thing you have to family who isn't still connected with Voldemort. We thought it might help, the time away." Dumbledore didn't even react at Draco's explosion of anger.  
  
"We?"  
  
"Professor Snape and myself. He has a great deal of regard for you."  
  
"I was followed. I was watched."  
  
Dumbledore looked extremely worried "I had hoped that Miss Rosenburg's spell would be able to repel Voldemort's followers for a short period of time."  
  
"Well it didn't work."  
  
Draco turned away from the Professor and picked his broom up again.  
  
"Even if I wanted to" he said, in a low voice "I can't. There's too much at risk if I do. Too many people would be in danger."  
  
"And if you don't?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"If I don't?" Draco sighed and his shoulders dropped suddenly and he looked weary, tired, exhausted from fighting his place any longer.  
  
"If I don't, it means certain people are safe."  
  
"How very courageous of you, Draco" there was no sarcasm in his headmaster's tone.  
  
"My name is Malfoy."  
  
***************************  
  
Giles knocked on Dawn's door before opening it cautiously, well prepared to duck in case she threw a shoe at his head.  
  
"Dawn?"   
  
"Go away"  
  
Gone was the angry shouting girl of half an hour ago. Dawn was sitting on the bed facing the door and she looked up as Giles came in, closing the door behind him.  
  
Her face was tear stained, her eyes reddened with crying and Giles suddenly hated himself.  
  
"Dawn, I'm so sorry"  
  
"It's OK. It's not your fault. You can't help it if some stupid, sodding English boy is a total and utter lying bastard."  
  
Giles' mind noted briefly that Dawn had picked up Draco's speech pattern, he never would have heard her use the word "sodding" before.  
  
"Actually" Giles sat down on the bed next to her, the mattress sagging beneath his weight. He pulled his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose – a gesture which told Dawn she wasn't going to like whatever he was about to say.  
  
"Actually, I rather think it is my fault. Partly, at least."  
  
"How could it be your fault?" Dawn's confusion cleared and she looked up at him. "You knew."  
  
"I knew" he confirmed. "Draco Malfoy is my godson. I attended school with his father, Lucius. When Lucius married Narcissa and they had a little boy, Draco, Narcissa requested that I stand as god father."  
  
"You sound like you knew Narcissa very well" Dawn commented bitterly as she caught the tone of love Giles used.  
  
"Not as well as I thought I did." Giles remembered the laughing girl he had fallen for at School in comparison to the remote, haughty young woman who had told him coldly that she was engaged to be married to Lucius Malfoy. She had broken his heart that day.  
  
"So? You're Draco's godfather." Dawn prompted.  
  
"You have to understand, Dawn, there's a whole world you don't know about – witchcraft and wizardry are part of every day life. The school that Draco attends is a school for magic users. Had Willow been picked up by the American school, she would have attended there and been trained."  
  
"Draco is a magic user?"  
  
"He is. Very skilled from what I've been told."  
  
"He hasn't used his magic here at all though, I don't understand" Dawn felt that she was saying those words a lot.  
  
"He's not allowed to. Not until he finishes school."  
  
"Great" Dawn looked down at her fingertips, picking at a straggly bit of skin.  
  
"Draco's family, the Malfoys are part of the aristocracy of the wizarding world in Britain. They are termed "pure bloods" completely magical. Lucius has some very definite views on muggles – non magical people."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Giles sighed and put his glasses back on. Dawn watched as he stood and began to pace around the room. It occurred to her how much he had changed. Gone was the tweed, the stuffy attitude, the stuttering. It had all been an act, a disguise. Like Draco's. Now Giles was closer to how he had been when he was younger than he had ever been. Dressed in battered jeans, a well washed shirt and a sloppy jumper had become his uniform now. His hair, once brown was now peppered with grey, his face well worn in now with wrinkles that hadn't been there five years ago. She realised how much she loved him, how much he meant to her. He had been more than a father to her than her own father had been. She knew there were things that he kept hidden, things in his past that he would rather they didn't know. It looked now as if his past was coming back with a vengeance and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
"I'll start the beginning. There is a wizard, he's evil to the core in a way I couldn't even describe. His followers are called Death Eaters, they are all tattooed with his mark, its called the Dark Mark. Voldemort, that's the wizard's name, only has to touch the mark for each Death Eater and we are supposed to go straight to him." Giles pulled his jumper over his head and rolled up his sleeve to reveal the black tattoo that marred his tanned skin.   
  
"I thought that…"  
  
"Was the Mark of Eyghon? Yeah. It was already there. Lucius, Ethan and I had already gone down that path. It seemed just as easy for Voldemort to use that sign for me."  
  
"So you were a Death Eater?" Dawn was incredulous.  
  
"I was. I was what Draco is expected to become. I got out. I can't even believe that I did. I had already started to regret what was happening, the havoc we were causing, the people who were being killed. My father and the Council gave me an option – a way out. To be a Watcher. They dealt with everything, faked my death, covered their tracks. Only Ethan knew. He caught me as I was leaving – I had to tell him. He kept my secret though, the only noble thing he's ever done in this life."  
  
Dawn sat silently as Giles spoke, telling her of Voldemort's followers, of Draco's family, his mother Narcissa. Giles explained Draco's place in the world and why he hadn't wanted to say anything to anyone, why Draco had stayed silent on the subject of himself.   
  
"There are very few things that Draco holds dear in this world. His mother is one. And I think that you are another."  
  
Her head jerked up at this. "Me? I don't think so."  
  
Giles dropped to his knees in front of her and took hold of her hands.  
  
"Dawn. You are in danger. The two men who you met, Crabbe and Goyle. Unsavoury characters but they're Death Eaters as well. Probably sent by Lucius to keep an eye on Draco. They know you now, Dawn – you're a weak spot and Draco is making sure you can't be exploited."  
  
The tears which had stopped for a while began to flow out of Dawn's eyes again.  
  
"He was trying to protect me?" she whispered in horror "Oh god, all those things I said to him."  
  
"Were perfectly justified. But now you understand."  
  
"Oh god" Dawn whispered again "I can't believe it."  
  
"Don't be too hard on yourself Dawn. You weren't to know. He should have told you."  
  
"Where is he?" Dawn stood up suddenly "I have to find him. Apologise."  
  
"Last I saw he was downstairs, with Buffy."  
  
Dawn brushed her tears away impatiently. She hugged Giles hard, almost squeezing the life out of him before running out of the room, down the stairs and into the lobby.  
  
Giles followed at a slower rate, walking down the stairs as she ran out into the garden calling his name.  
  
"Draco? Draco!"   
  
She ran back in again as Giles reached the lobby.  
  
"Where is he?" she asked, looking around her.  
  
"He left." Buffy now came in from the garden. "He went back."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Just now I think. He said he didn't want to be protected, he said he had people of his own to look after. He went back."  
  
Dawn's face crumpled up and Buffy moved to hold Dawn in the same way Draco had once held Buffy.  
  
"It's OK honey. It's OK."   
  
Buffy's eyes met Giles who smiled sadly but shook his head. Buffy understood very clearly what he was telling her. Draco was gone. And he was not coming back. 


	6. Separate Lives

A howl from the corridor that Professor Snape was about to walk down told him several things. Firstly, from the high pitched whining noise – there were first and second years. Secondly from what he could tell, they were Gryffindors. Or Hufflepuffs. Or Ravenclaws. But not Slytherins. And thirdly, they had all just been given detentions. He laid a silent bet with himself that he knew who they had met up with.  
  
He rounded the corner and saw the students cowering from the tall dark figure of Draco Malfoy. He sighed to himself. Ever since his return from LA, the Slytherin Prince had returned with a vengeance. People were keeping their distance from Draco Malfoy, even his pack of courtiers were keeping their heads down, all of them having been on the receiving end of his sharp and vicious tongue. He was giving out detentions like they were going out of fashion. It was almost as though he was going out of his way to emphasise that he was back on form. There was no question in anyone's mind that after the school year finished, he would been at the front of the queue for the Dark Mark.   
  
Draco had deflected any queries that had come his way from Dumbledore and Snape and eventually they had both stopped asking, leaving Malfoy to his misery.  
  
Snape stood at the end of the corridor and watched as Malfoy scared the hell out of, yes they were Gryffindors, first years. He stormed down the corridor away from the group snarling at anyone who got his way. Had they had been Slytherins, Snape might have retracted the detentions – he knew they had been unfair – but they were Gryffindors. They would probably deserve them at some point.  
  
"Go on then, get to your lesson" he said, making the students jump. They scattered before him like autumn leaves, leaving him alone in the now empty corridor. Malfoy was gaining a reputation that was almost as bad as Snape's. But in comparison to Snape's evilness, his black hair, dark eyes and swooping robes, Malfoy's cropped white hair, pale eyes and tanned skin made the girls swoon after him, no matter how evil he was to them.  
  
***********************************  
  
Fred watched Dawn from across the room. The girl had barely spoken since Draco's abrupt departure. As far as Fred could tell, she hadn't eaten either and Fred had her doubts as to whether she was even sleeping properly.   
  
The days had passed in a complete blur for Dawn. New Year had been a subdued celebration, the gang just held their glasses up and toasted those who were no longer with them. Buffy had held Dawn tightly as the tears had flowed down their faces and Fred had felt incredibly sorry for Dawn. She had lost so much over the last years – her mother, Buffy, however briefly, Tara, Anya, Spike – all people who Dawn had loved deeply.   
  
And now this. Draco's absence was noticeable. In the few weeks he had been with them he had become one of them, always ready with a smart comment to make them laugh – it was strange seeing Dawn without Draco by her side. The two of them had been practically inseparable. She wondered what Draco could have done that was so bad for him to leave and to leave Dawn in this sort of mess. She knew there had been an argument – hell, she'd heard most of it. But she hadn't understood most of it and Giles and Buffy weren't talking.  
  
Fred longed to reach out to her to help her but she had no idea what to say. Dawn glanced up and met her eyes before looking away again, not even bothering to try and raise a smile. Fred frowned.   
  
****************************  
  
Buffy stood opposite her sister downstairs not feeling entirely happy about what Dawn wanted to do.   
  
"Come on then" she said.  
  
Dawn stepped forward into the light, her long brown hair bound back off her face. Her blue eyes were intent, determined, focused. She was dressed simply in a blue tank top and black pants, her feet clad in trainers.   
  
Buffy moved round behind her pushing her into position, changing her stance a little, tilting her head up, shifting her weight before taking up position opposite her which mirrored her.  
  
"Right, just like I showed you before"  
  
Dawn shot out a fist which Buffy deftly blocked.  
  
"And again" Buffy encouraged.  
  
Dawn's other fist came out and Buffy ducked out the way before putting in her own shot, giving Dawn the time to block the blow. The sisters fell into a pattern, swing, block, punch, block, kick block, swing, duck, punch, block.  
  
Buffy pushed her advantage a little, forcing Dawn to fall back a little before regaining her confidence and stepping forward again to attack. Buffy sped up her attack with Dawn keeping up valiantly. The sweat sprang up on their skin, the room became hot and Buffy broke off halfway through their sparring session to grab a drink. She wasn't in the least tired but she could see Dawn was finally wearing herself out.  
  
Dawn tipped her head back, welcoming the ice cold water. She wasn't breathing hard but she could feel the strain in her muscles.   
  
"Let's go again" Buffy said "Let's try something different"  
  
The sisters fought their way through the afternoon and well into the evening, breaking only for drink and food, Dawn eating more for the first time in weeks. They retreated back to the training room, Buffy working Dawn hard. The blood flushed into their cheeks and finally Dawn called a halt, barely able to stand.  
  
Buffy walked with her upstairs, waited for her while she showered and pulled on the fluffy pyjamas that Buffy had bought her for Christmas. Buffy, for the first time in a long time, tucked her sister into bed, smoothing the brown hair and stroking Dawn's cheeks.   
  
"You doing OK?"  
  
"I'll live" Dawn lay back on her pillows. Buffy noticed one of them did not match the rest of her purple bedroom set. She stroked it with a question in her eyes but Dawn could not meet her face.   
  
"I'm so stupid" she whispered, stroking her hands over the pillow which had once been Draco's.   
  
"You're not stupid Dawn. There's nothing stupid about falling in love." Buffy took hold of Dawn's hand remembering how she had first felt about Angel.   
  
Dawn laid her cheek against the pillow, pulling the covers over her shoulder. Buffy took this as a hint to go and bent down to kiss Dawn's cheek. She switched the light out and plunged the room into darkness.  
  
Dawn lay there breathing his scent in and out. It could almost be him there beside her. She remembered the feeling of lying next to him, the heat of his skin through his t-shirt, the sound of his heart thumping away next to her. Where was he now? she thought. Lying in a bed thousands of miles away from her, somewhere in Britain. Was he missing her the same way she was aching for him?   
  
She rolled over and her tears began to soak their way through his pillow.  
  
******************************  
  
"Draco?"   
  
It was Pansy Parkinson. She knocked on his door quietly and he could hear the concern in her voice. He swung himself off the bed and pulled the door open. She stood on the other side, twisting her hands nervously.   
  
"Pansy" he raised an eyebrow in enquiry "What can I do for you?"   
  
"I just wanted to make sure….." she hesitated, as if unsure how to speak.  
  
"You wanted to make sure?" he queried.  
  
She eventually met his eyes "I wanted to make sure that you were OK."  
  
"I'm fine. Up to my ass in Potions homework."  
  
"Up to your ass?" she repeated and Draco realised his mistake. He would never have said anything like that before. Dawn. Bloody Dawn. It was something she would say.  
  
"Up to my eyes. I meant up to my eyes." Draco amended what he had said quickly.   
  
"OK" Pansy looked away from him again to where Goyle and Crabbe were standing, about five feet away, watching nervously. Draco wondered whether their fathers had told them about his time in America but decided, on balance, they probably hadn't.  
  
"I'm fine, Parkinson, really." Draco came out of his room and joined the others. He lounged across his favourite chair, next to the fire so he could feel its warmth. The others, glad that their leader had finally come out of his shell and decided to join them, took their usual places around him, Pansy at his feet, leaning against the base of the chair, Goyle and Crabbe on the sofa. Some other Slytherins from their year came in to join them, making themselves comfortable, bringing out secret stashes of food and chatting, passing on the latest gossip.  
  
Draco leaned his head back and closed his eyes, listening to the quiet hum of voices.  
  
No one ever really thought that Slytherins got on well together but usually they were inseparable. Seven years in boarding school together forge bonds that are not easily broken and Draco found it easily to slip into his old role of leader of the pack. He shifted in the chair a little, his legs dangling down over one arm, his back and heard supported by the other.   
  
"Professor Moody has got a whole new idea for the Dark Arts classes" he heard Pansy tell Millicent Bulstrode.  
  
"I heard about that too" Goyle agreed "something about managing without wands?"  
  
"Yeah – magic without wands. How does that work?" Pansy asked.  
  
Draco stifled a laugh. Willow Rosenberg could show this lot something – stun a fair few people.   
  
"No, not magic. Something about fighting" Pansy examined her fingernails, and took out a small bottle from her robes which she unscrewed. She began to paint each nail with the brush that was attached to the lid of the bottle and speaking quietly under her breath. Her nails began to change colour as she spoke.  
  
Draco pricked his ears up at this. Now he would have to be careful. His time with Buffy and the others had honed his already existing skills, until he was a formidable opponent. He would have to watch his step in the Dark Arts class though, Moody would be sure to notice if he exhibited any kind of real skill at this.  
  
"Sounds like a daft idea" he said and the others agreed with him.   
  
They must have talked until the early hours, Snape, for once, ignoring the quiet chatter from the Seventh Year common room and allowing them to indulge. The Slytherins returned to bed, glad that Malfoy had come out of himself at last, seemed to be more sociable. Draco Malfoy retired to bed and found himself missing Dawn Summers more than ever. 


	7. Giles Explains

Xander stepped back from the whiteboard. It was divided up into columns and each of the Scoobies' names at the top of each column. Down the side of the whiteboard was another list of names but a much less popular list, vampires, various sorts of demons, warlocks, whatever nasties they were coming across. Out of pure boredom they had started counting them, rating each other on the kills, giving marks for style, ease of kill and implement.  
  
Buffy and Faith naturally led the board, Buffy ahead on vampires, Faith who had managed to bag herself a demon nest had pushed her score up a couple of nights ago. Angel, who rarely came out with them now, was third and Kennedy was next, with Gunn running her a close fifth. The rest of them were lagging behind although Xander noticed that someone's scores had taken a major leap over the last month.   
  
"Hey Dawnie, you're beginning to give Kennedy a run for her money" he commented as he clicked the lid back on the purple marker pen.   
  
She looked up from where she was sitting polishing what had become her favourite weapon. It was a sword, made in light steel. The hilt was shaped to fit a small hand, perfect for Dawn, and she had learned to use to deadly advantage. It was with this that she was cutting her way through the demon population of Los Angeles.   
  
Dawn attended school in LA now, just down the road from the Hyperion. She blended in quietly, studying hard for her exams, filling her days with schoolwork and her nights with fighting. They had all settled in now comfortably, the rest of the Scoobies getting jobs with Wolfram and Hart in their various departments, but still patrolling every night. But not Dawn. She didn't patrol. She hunted. Less and less did she need someone to watch her back and more and more they could rely on her to hold her own in a fight. Which would account for her rising scores.  
  
Xander was concerned about Dawn although he would never have said so to her face. Along with skill with a weapon she had also developed a fairly hard punch and Xander didn't particularly want to be on the other end of her fist. He reminded himself to have a quiet word with Giles. Giles would then have a word with Buffy and Buffy would have a word with Dawn. Hopefully.  
  
Dawn smiled in quiet satisfaction as she noted that her scores had risen. In the fighting she could easily forget him. The adrenaline that raced through her blotted out his face and each demon that fell beneath her was another minute through the day.   
  
She knew the others were noticing the change in her and were worrying about her but she carried on regardless, not really caring what they thought of her.  
  
And so the days passed by. The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months and Draco Malfoy began to recede in her memory. No longer did his name cause her heart to miss a beat, her breath to catch in her throat, her eyes to well up with tears. Now she just smiled a little when she thought of him. Her attempt to shut him out of her life by occupying every second of her day failed but she came to terms with the ache that he had caused and became accustomed to it. As a result of her intensive hard work she passed her exams with flying colours and, as a treat, Giles suggested a trip.  
  
"Where?" she asked excitedly "Florida? Miami? New York?"  
  
Giles smiled at her "No"  
  
She frowned "Where then?"   
  
"I was thinking a little further afield" and when her expression did not clear, he clarified "England. London."  
  
Dawn was silent.  
  
"I thought you'd be pleased. I'm going back to London – I need to meet with the new Council members and since you've done so well I thought you deserved the treat."  
  
She stared at him mutely and he frowned at her.  
  
"Don't you want to go?" he asked in concern.  
  
"Yeah, course I want to" Dawn threw herself at him, hugging him so hard he couldn't breathe.  
  
"Good" he wrapped his arms round the girl who had become a daughter to him. It was the happiest he had seen her look in a long time.  
  
"Is Buffy OK with this?" Dawn asked, releasing him from her death grip.  
  
"Who do you think Ok'd it?"  
  
Her sister's voice came from behind her and Dawn turned, and jumped at her, smothering her with kisses.  
  
"You're wonderful, thank you so much"  
  
Buffy disentangled herself from Dawn, smoothing down her mussed up hair. "You're completely welcome" she laughed.  
  
Dawn bounced away from her and as Faith came out of Wes' office she was grabbed by Dawn and swung round with a yippee before being released as Dawn ran into the office to tell Wes.  
  
Faith came over to Buffy and Giles "What the hell was that about?"  
  
"She's happy" Buffy said.  
  
"I can tell she's happy. Who gave her a happy?" Faith asked.  
  
"Giles did"   
  
Faith swung round to face Giles "Wow G-man. Isn't she a little young for you?"  
  
Giles rolled his eyes "Do get your mind out of the gutter" he caught Buffy sniggering to herself "that goes for both of you. Honestly."  
  
"You thought you'd taught us better" the girls chorused, knowing what he was about to say.   
  
"Dawn is coming to England with me when I go for a visit in three weeks. I'm meeting the Council members to update them on our position here and to find out how they are progressing in tracking down the Slayers who were activated by Willow."  
  
"Is that wise? Weren't you kicked out of England?" Faith asked "I don't want you getting caught by whoever it was you're hiding from."  
  
"I'll be fine. I've no intention of meeting up with any of those old friends."  
  
Faith looked over to Wes' office as Dawn's happy laughter floated out the door and then back at Giles.  
  
"I hate to be the party pooper here. Didn't that Draco guy come from England?"  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, Faith, there are more than ten people in the United Kingdom. The likelihood of them bumping into each other low, in the extreme."  
  
"Good. Chances are she'd give him a black eye he wouldn't forget in a hurry." Faith, never one for beating about the bush, spoke forthrightly. There was something else going on here. Giles wasn't even remotely good at lying and she would lay good money that he was lying now. "Giles, what's going on?"  
  
He looked at her in surprise "What on earth makes you think that there is something going on?"  
  
"Because, great though it is you're taking Dawn to England with you as a reward for doing well, there's something else going on here. Why don't you just buy her a car or something?" Faith thought momentarily about Dawn behind the wheel of a car and amended what she had said. "OK, not a car. But why a trip to England?"  
  
Buffy eyed Giles for a moment. Faith was right. There was something else going on.  
  
"Giles?" Buffy questioned.  
  
He sighed. "Am I really that transparent?"  
  
"Only to us" Faith answered. "So come on, spill it."  
  
Giles sighed "Not here. My room, later on. I don't want Dawn to know about this."  
  
Buffy groaned "I knew it. I knew there had to be something else to this trip. Why can't anything ever be easy?"  
  
*************************  
  
Buffy and Faith waited expectantly in Giles' room that night and he entered, looking unsurprised when he saw them sitting on his bed. He had hoped to have a little longer before this particular problem reared its head but better to deal with it now than later, he thought to himself.  
  
"You both know, to an extent, about my background, my childhood. I told you, after Draco left, how I attended the school that Draco is at now. It's called Hogwarts."  
  
"Dumb name for a school" Faith commented but stopped when Giles glared at her. "Sorry. Just saying."  
  
"There is an evil growing in England, just as before. It would be about 18 or 19 years ago now, when you were just children and Dawn just a baby. A wizard, his name is V.. Voldemort, very bad. Unbelievably so. He was the terror of the wizarding world, fear and chaos reined. But he was defeated. He attempted to curse a child and the curse rebounded on to him and we all thought it had killed him. Instead, it badly weakened him. The years passed and people began to grow complacent. They forgot what evil was. So when Voldemort re-surfaced some years ago, immensely weak but with a core of evil within him that had sustained him. He first came after Harry Potter, the child whom he had originally tried to kill. Harry, somehow, managed to defeat him. Slowly, but surely Voldemort has come back to power."  
  
Buffy and Faith had sat quietly through Giles's talk, taking in every single word. He stopped at this point. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the two Slayers sitting on the bed, open mouthed.  
  
"Voldemort's followers, they're called Death Eaters. Draco's father Lucius is one of them. One of the worst actually. The whole point about Draco coming here was to have some time away from his family and from the school. He wasn't sure how life should go for him once he left Hogwarts."  
  
"He could have stayed here" Faith said "He was a mean fighter, plus y'know. A hottie."  
  
"The reason I was going to England, the true reason I was going was to find out the true situation with Voldemort." Giles ignored Faith and carried on explaining about his past.  
  
"Things are going to escalate quickly. Voldemort will be making his move soon. His followers are going to be doubled when this year's lot of students graduate from Hogwarts."  
  
"Why?" Buffy was confused.  
  
"Because there will be a fair amount of students, mostly Slytherins I should think, who will be declaring their allegiance to Voldemort." He gave a brief snort. "Draco will probably be one of them."  
  
"Draco?" Buffy was taken aback. "Why?"  
  
"Because that is why he went back. To take the Dark Mark. To follow in his father's footsteps as he was meant to do."  
  
"Draco's evil?" Faith was having a hard time keeping up with this.  
  
"Not, I suspect, by choice. I believe that when he and Dawn were stopped on their way home from Caritas, Draco had the fear of God put into him."  
  
"They were stopped?"   
  
Giles explained to Faith and Buffy what had happened to Draco and Dawn on their way home from Caritas. He went through his suspicions about how Goyle and Crabbe had managed to track Draco down, purely by chance he reckoned. And when Draco had sung for Lorne he had laid himself bare and in doing so had allowed everyone who had been in Caritas that night to see who he truly was.   
  
"So these two guys saw Dawn with Draco? Doesn't that put her in even more danger?" Buffy asked "Cos I'm not going to let her go if it means she won't be safe."  
  
"The Council can protect her. The chances of Voldemort knowing we're in England are minute. And she deserves the holiday. We can't live our lives afraid."  
  
"No, we can't. But that doesn't mean we should go straight into the lion's den" Faith argued.  
  
"I have to go. I need to meet my contact from the school. He'll tell me what the position is. He'll be able to tell me how much danger Dawn and the rest of us are in. If Draco was seen with Dawn then they may have followed them back here. I need to make sure."  
  
Buffy didn't seem particularly thrilled with this idea and she said so. Loudly and at great length until Giles stopped her with a simple question.  
  
"How are you going to tell Dawn that she can't come to England?"  
  
"I couldn't" Buffy said eventually.  
  
"If you couldn't, you can't expect me to. The girl deserves a holiday. I need to go to England. Willow can accompany us if you want. She should be able to mask our presence effectively while we are there."  
  
"Her spell didn't work so well when Draco was here did it?" Faith asked.  
  
"I think it did. I think it was pure chance Goyle and Crabbe were in Caritas that night. They were probably hanging round all the demon haunts, making new contacts for their Master. When Draco sang he allowed them to see it was him. They probably took it upon themselves to give him a kick to make sure he didn't make any stupid decisions. Lucius isn't stupid. Whatever story he got told about Draco being here, he must know that Draco isn't sure about where his loyalties lie."  
  
Giles looked at Buffy and Faith. "I need to find out how much danger we are in, how much danger Dawn is in. If Lucius knows about Dawn and knows that Draco cares for her, he'll use her in any way he can to force Draco to do whatever he wants."  
  
"OK. One week" Buffy told him "You get one week."  
  
"Ten days" Giles answered "Flights are already booked. I'll check with Willow and book her a flight as well. Would that make you feel better?"  
  
"No" Buffy answered rudely "It would make me feel better if you weren't going at all but I guess we need to know."  
  
"Yes we do."   
  
Buffy sighed and got to her feet. She went to leave but paused at the door.  
  
"Giles, if there's anything else you need to tell us about your past then tell us now."  
  
"Buffy, my past is mine. I don't have to tell you everything."  
  
"But when you don't we always end up fighting some demon, or one of your old school mates – remember Ethan?"  
  
"If I think you need to know something, I'll tell you. OK?"  
  
Faith stretched slowly and got off the bed to join Buffy by the door.  
  
"I'm hitting the sack. I'm whacked."  
  
She left the room, leaving Buffy still hesitating by the door. Giles saw her uncertainty but knew he could not afford to tell her everything. Despite everything she said, she would not understand and he could not bear to see that look on her face again.  
  
"Good night Buffy" he said, giving her a broad hint. She took it, smiling wanly and closing the door behind her. 


	8. Chance Meeting

Narcissa Malfoy sat perfectly still in her chair, upright and straight backed. Her hands were folded in her lap, the black silk low necked dress with shining robes over the top accentuated her pale skin, white hair and aristocratic features. Her hair was plaited into a complicated knot at the back of her head and around her neck she wore a jewelled necklace which resembled a collar. She watched her husband prowl around her son, her expression neutral but inside, her heart was racing.  
  
She sat with the other ladies, all dressed more or less identically. She sat central to the group, a mark of her high position, of how well she was regarded. The others clustered around her, trying to curry favour with her and therefore with Lucius. It was well known that Lucius was currently their Master's favourite.   
  
Draco stood alone in the centre of the room, his father walking a circle around him. All eyes were on him, those of the women, those of the men, those of the other initiates waiting to be burned by the Dark Mark. Draco was first and he stood unafraid before Voldemort. He met his slanted red eyes unflinchingly and stood firm.   
  
His blonde hair had been allowed to grow long again and now fell over his shoulders. He stood in black trousers, naked to the waist, waiting.   
  
Narcissa wanted to close her eyes as she saw the hand of Voldemort stroke the tanned skin of her son's arm. She could not bear to watch this but any sign that she would not pleased about this happening would plunge them both into danger. Lucius could think of many punishments which would leave her screaming for respite but none of which would leave a single blemish on her skin. For her son's sake then she sat, erect, the perfect model of motherly pride as her son was scarred forever.  
  
He did not scream or cry out. He did not fall to his knees or pass out from the pain she knew he was enduring.  
  
He gritted his teeth and stared straight at Voldemort as the wand pressed hard against his skin. The searing pain was enough to bring tears to his eyes but he bit down on his tongue and the pain washed them away again.   
  
When, at last the pain stopped, through his clearing vision Draco saw Voldemort step back and his father take his place. He nodded his approval and it took everything Draco had to walk out of the room, his head held high. He was a Malfoy and he would be damned if he would be carried from this room whimpering like a baby.  
  
As the door closed behind him, as the next person took his place, he leaned back against the wall, feeling the chill of the stone against his naked back. The pain had made him sweat and the cool relief was welcome.   
  
Someone held his robes out to him and he slid them on, not bothering to put a shirt on. The tattoo on his arm stood out starkly against his skin and he stroked it, feeling a shiver go through him. This was it then. She was safe. His mother was safe. And Dawn was safe. He had done everything that was required of him to be the perfect son and in doing so was saving the things that were important to him.   
  
He re-entered the room and took his place beside his father, feeling his hand fall on his shoulder approvingly. He watched as man followed man, woman followed woman and swore their allegiance to Voldemort without hesitation. Half hidden in the shadows he saw Snape, his dark eyes glittering in the torchlight. There was no accusation in his gaze. But sadness. Pure and simple sadness. Draco allowed his gaze to skim over his former Professor and saw Snape school his features into their usual smirk.  
  
Draco watched in disgust as three muggles were brought in, tormented by illusions and images that the Death Eaters produced until Voldemort tired of them and killed them both with a simple flick of his wand.   
  
Draco felt sick, remembering how the muggle he had known, Xander Harris, had faced down three vampires at once. He had learned that muggles weren't all mindless, stupid and ignorant. He tried not to shut his eyes and instead refocused his gaze. He met the eyes of his mother who was sitting directly opposite him. He could see the masked disgust in her face but to anyone else she was impassive.  
  
Voldemort dismissed the majority of the Death Eaters, leaving only his inner circle. Lucius Malfoy laid a hand on his son's shoulder, preventing him from following the rest of the initiates out of the door. Draco paused and allowed himself to be pulled back into the room.  
  
Voldemort began to talk, indoctrinating his followers into his way of thinking, his new plans. He was, Draco mused, incredibly charming, and incredibly persuasive. He pricked up his ears suddenly as one of his spies entered the room and began to talk about a new power in London.   
  
"A new power you say?" Voldemort fixed his spy with a beady gaze.  
  
"You can feel it. It's practically tangible."  
  
"Really" Voldemort looked thoughtful before turning to his trusted follower "Lucius, perhaps you might care to investigate?"  
  
Lucius Malfoy nodded "Perhaps Draco might accompany me. His first project?"  
  
"An excellent idea" Voldemort agreed. He gave Draco a slimy smile but Draco did not flinch away, simply inclined his head in acquiescence and followed his father out of the room.  
  
It did not occur to Draco, did not even enter his mind who the new power might be.  
  
***************************  
  
The house that Giles, Dawn and Willow were staying in in London was haunted. Willow could feel it. It was an old converted warehouse on Wapping High Street, a safe house Giles had said. Willow was unsurprised to find out that it belonged to Ethan. It looked out over the river and Dawn loved watching the boats sailing past, the tourist boats, the barges, the police boats. She had even been on one of the tourist boats, Giles had spent a day indulging Willow and Dawn in their fantasies, taking them wherever they wanted to go. Greenwich Market, followed by an hour on the river, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye. A night at the theatre, lazy lunches at Covent Garden, mornings at the British Museum. Dawn and Willow were in their element – loving every second of it. Giles took them to his secret places, his favourite Italian restaurant on Dean Street, his favourite exhibit at the Museum.   
  
Occasionally Giles disappeared off somewhere, not mentioning where he was going. Dawn and Willow agreed not to ask, the evenings he vanished, they indulged in their newly found love for Thai food from the amazing restaurant on the high street.  
  
***************************  
  
Willow's spell masked their auras effectively but not the appearance of Giles, Dawn and Willow herself. Unfortunately the power Willow was using to keep the spell going was traceable. And Lucius Malfoy had always had a nose for scenting power.  
  
***************************  
  
"Giles?"  
  
"Yeah?"   
  
Willow noticed that Giles' accent had softened since his return to London. He was a happy mix of Rupert and Ripper – he had found himself. Willow half wished the others could see him like this.  
  
"Giles. Let's do something else. I'm bored of London."  
  
"They do say when you're bored of London, you're bored of life."  
  
Willow roused herself sufficiently from the sofa where she was lying and looked over at Giles who was sprawled on the opposite sofa. She gave him a lazy grin and stretched languorously.  
  
"I'm not bored of life. I've just seen every single part of London."  
  
"OK. I'll think of something." Giles rolled over and looked thoughtful "Hmmm – where to take two lovely women who are bored of London?"  
  
"Where's Dawn today?" Willow managed to summon enough energy to reach out and grab her cup of coffee.  
  
"British Museum. Again. I swear that girl can't get enough of that place."  
  
***************************  
  
Dawn stood in the Great Hall of the British Museum. She stared up at the intricate glass roof that stretched across from wall to wall. She loved this place. The peace and quiet, the muted voices, the clean smell, the light and airiness of the place. There was nowhere else like this in the world.  
  
Had she been paying more attention to the people around her rather than the beauty of the building that had so captivated her, she would have seen the eyes on her, staring at her in disbelief.  
  
***************************  
  
Draco Malfoy closed his eyes as the horror flooded through him. Oh god. No. It couldn't be her. Please Merlin, not her. Not here. Not now. Because if she was here, Giles and the others would probably be here. And then it all became clear. The untraceable power that he could feel. It was familiar. It was Willow. He groaned to himself. This couldn't get any worse.  
  
Dawn Summers moved across the glass covered atrium of the British Museum, the slanting autumn sunlight dappling her long brown hair, highlighting the gold streaks in it, playing off her soft skin. She looked older since he had last seen her but still just as lovely. Her clothes were winter clothes, a pair of old battered jeans, black v neck sweater and a suede jacket with a multi coloured striped scarf and Doc Marten boots. She looked like a typical student and had it not been for her face catching his eye as she revolved in the centre of the room, he would have dismissed her.   
  
His father who stood close behind him heard his quick intake of breath and, although he did not comment on it, noted it. He swept his gaze around the room and finally saw the girl that Draco was trying not to stare at. He concentrated for a moment but could not get anything from her. She looked like just a normal muggle girl. A pretty thing, to be sure, but nothing special. Draco had a keen eye for the ladies and this little girl was no exception. Shame she was a muggle, Lucius wouldn't have minded knowing her himself.  
  
"We'll get nothing here" Lucius whispered to his son, his breath tickling his ear "Let's try somewhere else."  
  
As Draco followed his father out of the Museum, he noticed Dawn was now a few steps in front of him. They walked in the same direction, the Malfoys keeping back from her, until she reached High Holborn and hailed a cab. As Draco and his father drew level with her, Draco heard Dawn's voice clearly speaking to the cabbie.  
  
"Wapping High Street please".  
  
She got into the cab and slammed the door shut behind her. Settling herself in the back of the cab, Dawn looked out of the window and to her amazement saw Draco Malfoy looking straight back at her. Her hands went up to the glass, as if trying to touch him but he looked away from her, staring straight ahead, and swept past her. The man who was walking next to Draco looked straight at her in disgust. Without hesitation Dawn knew who this was. The man who was looking straight back at her with an expression of complete loathing was Lucius Malfoy.   
  
Dawn leaned forward and thumped on the glass separating her from the driver.  
  
"Quickly, go" she shouted.   
  
The cab pulled back into the traffic quickly and she turned in her seat to look out the back window. Draco and his father had vanished on the crowded street but she knew it was too late. She had been seen by the one person who she was supposed to be avoiding.  
  
***************************  
  
Dawn had given herself away by her startled reaction to Draco. And his father had seen and put one and one together. He wasn't a stupid man, he was aware of what had transpired in LA and who he had been seen with. Her American accent had been obvious when she had spoken to the cabbie and Dawn had given herself away so easily to his father.   
  
Lucius Malfoy remained where he was and then came to a rapid decision. Now was the time to strike, while she was worried, on the run. He stuck out his arm for a cab and when one pulled over he pushed his son in and got in himself. He gave directions for Wapping High Street and then sat there silent, his brain working fast.  
  
He knew now from his son's reactions and the muggle girl's unguarded thoughts that they knew each other. She was American and fitted the description of the girl Crabbe and Goyle had seen him with. He smiled to himself. She had even told him where she was going, perhaps where she was living. She might be the perfect leverage for his son. He knew Draco adored his mother but a girl? She might tip the balance as far as Draco's loyalty was concerned. He might be prepared to do anything.  
  
***************************  
  
The cab drew up in the High Street, Dawn cramming money into his hand, leaping out of the cab and heading straight to the door. She unlocked the door and ran up the stairs, her fingers hurriedly opening the door to their apartment. Willow and Giles were still snoozing on the sofa in the sunlit living room. They looked up as she came in and then sat up when they saw the colour in her cheeks and her worried expression.  
  
"Dawn, what's wrong?" Giles asked in concern.  
  
She told them, her words tumbling out one over the other. She couldn't seem to speak fast enough but Giles and Willow managed to pick up what she was saying.  
  
"Are you sure they saw you?" Willow asked.  
  
Dawn almost shouted at her "Yes! I saw him and his father saw me. From the look on his face he knew who I was."  
  
Giles looked at Willow and she knew what he was thinking.  
  
"We need to get out of here. Now."  
  
"We can't" Giles said "I haven't been able to speak to my source. We need that information otherwise there is no way of getting it."  
  
"I've led them straight to us" Dawn moaned, slumping down on the sofa beside Willow. The red hair put her arms around Dawn comfortingly.  
  
"You weren't to know. Are you sure they heard you?"  
  
"Yes. I'm sure."  
  
"We'll have to move on. There is another place we can go to for the moment. We're supposed to go back in three days. We'll have to manage until then." Giles sighed and looked at Dawn whose expression showed her guilt. He rose and sat down on the other side of her.  
  
"It's OK Dawn. You weren't to know they were in London."  
  
"What are they doing here anyway?" Dawn asked.  
  
"We're looking for you."  
  
Dawn had left the door open in her hurry to get into the flat and now Lucius Malfoy stood in the doorway, his wand out, a sneering expression on his face.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy" Giles stood up and stepped in front of Dawn.  
  
"Ripper. How nice to see you again. I heard you met with an accident." Lucius masked his surprise well.  
  
"You heard wrong" Giles said levelly.   
  
"So now. Where is she? My son's little muggle whore."  
  
"She's not anything to do with me. I told you. I barely know her." Draco interrupted but his father flicked his wand and sent Draco hurtling into the wall. He slid down to the floor and sat there, stunned.  
  
Dawn went to move to him but Willow grabbed her arm.  
  
"You barely know her?" asked Lucius in silky tones, bending down to his son and hauling him to his feet. "She seems very concerned about someone she barely knows."  
  
"What do you want with me?" Dawn stepped in front of Giles who made a grab for her but missed. She faced Lucius Malfoy bravely and he sneered at her.  
  
"Look at you, stupid muggle girl. You've got no idea what you've got yourself into. Don't you know who I am? You should be terrified not standing there asking me what I want as if you're asking the time of day."  
  
"She's got no reason to be terrified of you" Giles said quietly as Willow came to stand beside him.  
  
"And I suppose you're going to protect her?" Lucius turned his attention back to his old friend.  
  
"No. I am." Willow stared at Lucius Malfoy who fell to his knees screaming and clutching his head before passing out on the floor.  
  
"Close the door Dawn" Giles instructed, moving swiftly to take Lucius' wand. "We've got to get this sorted out now." 


	9. Damage Control

Notes: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. I appreciate this so much. It is what is inspiring me to keep going. I am listening to what you are saying – Dawn's Key powers will be playing a part in future chapters. But now, read on and enjoy.  
  
There was silence in the riverside apartment for a moment and then everyone spoke at once.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"Is he OK?"  
  
"Are you OK?"  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Dawn looked at Draco who had asked her this. He looked older. There were circles under his eyes, a look of tiredness on his face but most of all he looked incredibly angry.  
  
"What am I doing here?" she asked "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You're supposed to be in LA. You're supposed to be safe. You're not supposed to be here." Draco dropped to his knees beside his unconscious father and stared up at Willow who was now kneeling opposite him. She flipped Lucius Malfoy on his back, checked his pulse and then looked back at Giles.  
  
"He'll be OK. I just knocked him out."  
  
Giles was already on the phone, dialling a number from memory. The worry on his face was obvious and when someone answered the other end, he spoke rapidly, telling whoever it was to come and find them immediately.  
  
Draco and Dawn were still staring at each other.   
  
A thousand thoughts were flying through Dawn's mind, not least of which were, God he's still gorgeous. Especially when he's angry. She noticed that the hair which had been short when she had known him had now grown out and fell around his shoulders. He and his father were wearing muggle clothes, she recognised the jeans and t-shirt he had worn in LA, with the leather jacket over the top. Lucius was dressed in a smart black suit which was now very crumpled as he lay on the floor, his eyes closed, breathing steadily.  
  
She longed to go to him, hug him and tell him she was so sorry for shouting, she hadn't understood but she did now. She had made a mistake and wanted to take it back. But she couldn't find the words. She couldn't speak to this boy who was so angry with her.   
  
He was shouting at them, telling them they shouldn't be here, they shouldn't have endangered themselves by coming here. What were they going to do? His father would wake up soon and then the trouble would really start. How were they going to get out of this one? How stupid was Giles to bring Dawn and Willow here? Voldemort had been informed that a new power had entered London which was why he and his father were there – they were tracking it. As soon as Draco had seen Dawn he said he had realised that Giles would be there and probably the others.  
  
"It's just us," insisted Willow "just us three."  
  
Draco turned on her "They know you're here. They can feel your power."  
  
"They couldn't" Willow said "I've masked our auras. They wouldn't be able to track the power."  
  
"Not track it – just feel it." Draco sighed, running a hand through his white hair, "They know you're here. And now this – it's only a matter of time."  
  
"Draco, do calm down, we can fix this easily. I've got a friend coming to help us sort this out. We'll simply perform an obliviate curse, give your father some new memories so he won't realise what's happened, dump you and your father somewhere and then get out of the country."  
  
Giles suddenly realised something. Draco had said that Voldemort had been told there was a new power. There was no way that he could know Voldemort knew this unless….. Giles' blood ran cold. He stared questioningly at Draco who answered his gaze by sliding his jacket off and revealing the mark on his arm. Giles turned the arm over, sliding his fingers over the mark and felt a shudder go through him. Dawn stared at it and then at him in horror.  
  
"You did it" she breathed "you really did it."  
  
Draco snatched his arm back and put the jacket back on, covering it up.   
  
"It's none of your business. You made it perfectly clear how you felt about it."  
  
"Draco, please.."  
  
"This isn't the time for this" Giles interrupted them, seeing another full scale argument in the making.  
  
There was a quiet knock on the door which made them all flinch and Giles opened the door cautiously to reveal a tall lanky looking man standing outside.  
  
"I could have used my key" he said in lazy aristocratic tones "but I thought, in the circumstances, it would be more polite to knock."  
  
Ethan Rayne stepped over the prone figure of Lucius, taking good care to kick him hard as he did so. He regarded Giles for a moment before shaking hands with him, handing him an envelope as he did so.  
  
"Well, well Miss Rosenberg, haven't we grown up?" he teased the red head who simply smiled at him sweetly.  
  
"Hi Ethan, it's nice to see you too."  
  
"I see Slayer Junior is here" Ethan noted Dawn's presence with a smile. He had always liked her. He glanced round the apartment. "No big sis though? Don't really fancy getting punched by her. She has a bit of an addiction to violence, don't you agree?"  
  
"It's just the three of us Ethan" Giles said "You know Lucius and this, of course…"  
  
"Well you have to be Draco" Ethan drawled taking in the blonde haired boy. "So you're Luscious Lucius' offspring?"  
  
Draco glared at him and then at Giles. "Who is this?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy, this is Ethan Rayne." Giles turned back to Ethan. "I appreciate you coming so fast."  
  
The other man shrugged elegantly "How could I refuse a chance to help you?" he said sarcastically "Of course, you did threaten me with violence. I must bring out the Ripper in you."  
  
"He'll be brought out again if you don't sort this out" Giles said calmly, the threat posed as politely as an enquiry about the weather.  
  
Draco lost the thread of the conversation, discussion of someone called Ripper, the obliviate spell they would use on his father, the new memories and then their escape. Of course, just in case, Giles, Dawn and Willow would re-locate to another house until it was time for their flights. Instead, his gaze moved to Dawn who was listening anxiously to the plans for their immediate future.  
  
She was still lovely, he thought. She still took his breath away. Dawn became aware that he was watching her and transferred her bright blue eyes from Giles to stare straight back at Draco. He could see from her expression that she was glad to see him, that she wanted to throw herself at him to hug him but she was still a little angry with him. He understood that. He was pretty angry with her too.  
  
"Draco?" Giles's sharp tone distracted him from Dawn.  
  
"Yes?" he answered, looking at his godfather who was regarding him with a kind expression on his face.  
  
"We're going to obliviate both of you. It's the safest way. That means you won't remember seeing us and it means they won't be able to get any information from you should you accidentally let anything slip."  
  
Draco protested to this loudly but Dawn effectively ended the argument. She took his arm and pulled him into the kitchen, shutting the door behind her.  
  
"I had a speech all planned for this moment. I rehearsed and everything and here I am babbling away." She dropped the smile and looked suddenly serious. "This is something you have to let us do, Draco. You chose a side, remember?"  
  
"Dawn, I…"  
  
She put her fingers up to his lips to quieten him, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. His hands came up to cup her face tenderly as he enjoyed the embrace. She stepped back, the tears streaming down her face and he looked at her uncomprehendingly.  
  
"You chose a side. Giles told me everything. I understand why you've done what you've done" her eyes went to his arm and then back up to face him. "You did this to protect me. Now let us do this to protect you."  
  
"But I won't remember you" he said unhappily.  
  
"I will always remember you. But we can't take this risk. There's too much at stake here." Dawn wept.  
  
"You mean Willow?" Draco understood. If Voldemort knew how strong Willow was then there was no way back for them, Dumbledore and his friends who stood against Voldemort wouldn't stand a chance against Willow.  
  
"I'm sorry Draco."  
  
A knock on the door interrupted them as Willow stuck her head through and asked if they were finished. Dawn nodded and came back out to stand with Giles and Ethan. Lucius was still on the floor, his eyes shut but Draco did not even spare him a glance.   
  
"Are we ready?" Ethan asked sarcastically and Draco glared at him.  
  
"Glad I'll be forgetting you" he said sharply and Ethan threw his head back and laughed.  
  
"You and Giles' Slayer get on well I'll bet" he said, before sobering abruptly and telling Draco to sit on the sofa out of the way while they dealt with his father.  
  
Willow touched Lucius Malfoy's head with a finger, bringing him straight back to consciousness with a start. His eyes snapped open and went straight to her, staring at her with a mixture of fear and loathing. She smiled at him, a guileless smile which made her look fifteen again, Giles thought. But Willow Rosenberg was a woman now, a woman with immense power at her fingertips.   
  
She kept her hand pressed his skull and whispered to him "Forget. Forget you ever saw us. Forget that Draco saw Dawn, that she saw him. Forget that you came here and that you saw Giles and Dawn and me. You were at the Museum today, you saw no one of importance. You left with your son to return to your house. You will report to your Master that there is nothing of importance here in London. You will search for the new power no more."  
  
His eyes glazed over as she spoke and when she finished he had a dull look in his eye.  
  
"Now sleep" she said softly and his eyes closed again.  
  
"Right" said Willow turning to Draco who was sitting on the sofa with Dawn at his side "your turn."  
  
Draco turned to Dawn and squeezed her hand once before Willow knelt opposite him and reached out with an apologetic smile. She repeated what she had said to his father, Dawn watching sadly as his eyes clouded over and then closed as Willow commanded him to sleep.  
  
"You're getting quite good at this magic lark" Ethan said to Willow who gave him a brief grin before turning to Dawn and hugging her. "I'll get them back to their house" Ethan said "I'll waken them in the street and apparate away, leaving them there."  
  
"We'll head to Sirius' old house" Giles said "I'll take the girls there now and then come and meet you later. Sev said he was going to try and get free."  
  
"Who's Sev?" Dawn wanted to know but Giles tapped the side of his nose mysteriously, telling her to keep her nose out of his business. She knew he would tell them later.  
  
"I'll get going" Ethan hauled Lucius and Draco to his feet then flicked his wand and vanished.  
  
"Won't he be seen?" Dawn wanted to know "Just appearing like that?"  
  
"No. He'll appear at the gates of their mansion, it's set way back from the road. He won't be seen by anyone who matters."  
  
"I didn't realise Ethan was on our side now" Willow said as she followed Giles through into his bedroom.  
  
"Ethan is many things. On our side is not one of them" Giles' tone was wry as he opened his suitcase and began to pack it rapidly.  
  
"Why is he helping us then? We can't trust him."  
  
Giles paused in his packing. How to explain this to her? "Some things go deeper than sides, Willow. Our friendship is one of them. Ethan is not a good man. But neither is he a bad man."  
  
"Plus he's scared of you" Dawn said as she stuck her head in the door making the other two laugh.  
  
"Well there is that too." Giles finished folding his sweaters and began to pile them into his case. "Go on you two. We need to be out of here within the hour."  
  
"Where is it we're going, Giles? Sirius' place?"   
  
"It's a friend's house. He's not around anymore but his house is another safe house, it's not too far away."  
  
He pulled out the envelope Ethan had given him earlier and handed it to them. Dawn opened it and pulled out a piece of paper on which was written "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number 12, Grimmauld Place, London." Willow and Dawn read the paper and then Giles took it from them, shredding it into tiny pieces.  
  
"You'll need to know that to get in" he said without further explanation. "Pack quickly now. We need to move." 


	10. Safe House

Notes: Hey there, should apologise now for any HP ref that I've got wrong – I'm afraid I had to do it from memory.   
  
Grimmald Place was, it turned out, part of a terraced old fashioned Victorian street, grimy, badly lit in the late afternoon sunlight. There was rubbish blowing down the street and a couple of cars parked badly on the side of the street. Giles, Dawn and Willow had walked from the Underground station. A taxi would have stood out here and they were trying to avoid any kind of recognition.  
  
Giles stopped halfway down the road in between numbers 11 and 13 and Dawn stared at him.  
  
"Way to go Giles, take us to a house that doesn't exist."  
  
Giles rolled his eyes. "Concentrate on what you read at Ethan's."  
  
Willow concentrated hard on the elegant handwriting, picturing it in her mind. To her surprise, numbers 11 and 13 Grimmauld Place slid aside and another house appeared, blowing up like a massive balloon, the door and windows forming. Dawn raised her eyebrows but said nothing, hefting her bag and following Giles up the path.  
  
The house looked well kept, the front door painted a cheerful green colour. There was a door knocker in the shape of a twisted serpent which Giles grasped and gave a solid knock to the door. The noise echoed and eventually the door swung open.   
  
Dawn and Willow peered around Giles to see a girl standing there. She was tall, red haired and freckled, her green eyes cheerful. Her clothes were covered by what looked like black robes and in her hand she held what looked like a slender stake.  
  
"You must be Rupert Giles" the girl said, holding the door open and allowing them entrance to the house. "I'm Ginny Weasley."  
  
"Nice to meet you Ginny. This is Dawn Summers and Willow Rosenberg."  
  
The girls all smiled at each other as Ginny closed the door behind them.   
  
"My parents are here – I know they'd like to see you, Mr Giles."  
  
She gestured for them to leave their bags and led them down the corridor, painted in fresh yellow paint with pictures on the walls. Dawn looked at them as she passed by, sensible enough not to comment on the fact the occupants of the pictures were moving. There seemed to be the same people in most of the photos, the girl Ginny laughing with what had to be her parents, perhaps her brothers as well. A girl with curly hair, delicate features and intelligent eyes, with her arms around a boy, dark haired and green eyed. They were laughing and giggling as Dawn and Willow walked by.   
  
"Who lives here?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I do" Ginny said, opening the door to the kitchen "I live here with my brother Ron and our friends Harry and Hermione. It's Harry's house. It used to be all grim and dusty and horrible but since we started living here we painted it and cleaned it up."  
  
"It's nice" Willow followed the others through into the kitchen. At the long scrubbed pine table sat who could only be Ginny's parents. They rose at the sight of the three visitors and the man could not take his eyes off Giles. Giles looked equally wary but held his hand out.  
  
"Arthur" he said cordially.  
  
"Rupert. It has been a long time." Arthur Weasley shook Giles's hand quickly and then introduced his wife. "You remember Molly?"  
  
"Who could forget her?" Giles shook her hand as well before introducing Willow and Dawn. Arthur Weasley's eyes lingered on Willow for a moment and looked as if was debating whether to ask a question but then decided against it.  
  
"Ginny will show you to your rooms. Make yourselves comfortable." Molly smiled at the girls, her motherly nature coming through.   
  
Arthur was still regarding Giles uncertainly until Giles spoke wryly.  
  
"Don't worry Arthur. We'll be gone in three days, we won't be here long enough to endanger your mission." He managed to make his words sarcastic, as if whatever he, Willow and Dawn were doing was far more important that whatever Arthur Weasley was doing.   
  
Willow could feel the vibes flowing around the room, not distrust exactly more like…dislike. Arthur Weasley did not like Rupert Giles. Not at all. And she would guess that Giles wasn't particularly fond of Weasley either. That surprised her. Most people liked Giles and she had never known him to actively dislike anyone really – especially people who were on their side. She could see Dawn was getting defensive, picking up on the atmosphere and Willow spoke quickly to try and defuse the tension.  
  
"Gosh, Mrs Weasley, I could sure do with a cup of tea."   
  
"Of course dear" Mrs Weasley smiled at her "why don't you and settle in and come down in about twenty minutes. I'll have a spot of food on the table."  
  
Willow pulled Giles out of the door, taking Dawn with her and followed Ginny upstairs. Giles paused at the bottom of the stairs and flicked his wand at the bags, they rose obediently into the air and began to follow him up the stairs.   
  
"Giles…" Dawn began.  
  
"Later" Giles promised.  
  
"These are your rooms. I'm sorry, I hope you and Dawn don't mind sharing." Ginny opened one door. "And you're here Mr Giles". Ginny swung another door open directly opposite the girls' room.  
  
"Um, question" Dawn said hesitantly raising a hand "There is no way this house is large enough for all of us. So how come these rooms are so big?"  
  
"Magic" said Giles patting her on the shoulder.  
  
Ginny left them to unpack and when Willow and Dawn had set their possessions in their room, they joined Giles in his.  
  
Dawn sat down on the rose covered counterpane, and looked expectantly at Giles for an explanation.  
  
"You and Mr Weasley don't like each other, do you?"  
  
"No" said Giles shortly.  
  
"Why not?" she persisted.  
  
Giles sighed – was he not able to have any secrets? "Arthur and I were in different houses at School. I was in Slytherin with Ethan and Lucius. He was in Gryffindor. There's always been a chasm between them. Most of Voldemort's followers are originally Slytherin students." Giles spared Dawn a brief look. "Unsurprisingly Draco is a Slytherin as well. Arthur, all of his children, Harry and Hermione who you will, no doubt, meet later, are all Gryffindors. Arthur doesn't trust me. Thinks I'm a turncoat, same as Severus."  
  
"Severus?" Willow asked.  
  
"He's a professor at the school, teaches potions. He's a Slytherin, a turncoat as well. Having both taken the Dark Mark, neither of us are entirely trusted. I don't blame them."  
  
"What's the thing about the stake?"  
  
"The stake?" Giles suddenly understood what Willow was talking about. "You mean the wand?" He took his out from his bag, a long, slim, well used, much polished piece of wood and handed it to Willow for her to examine. She swished it experimentally in the air and left black trails of smoke with it.   
  
"It's not your wand Willow, you wouldn't be able to use it as effectively as if it were your own wand." He took it back from her and stroked his fingers down it. "Oak, ten inches, a core of dragon heartstring. I've had this wand for longer than I can remember."  
  
"You have a wand?" Willow didn't understand "I don't have one. And I've seen you use magic without it."  
  
"Simple magic. Nothing that requires too much control."  
  
"You didn't have a wand when…" Willow hesitated in what she had been about to say. He hadn't had his wand when he had dosed her with the Wiccan white magic. Giles guessed what she was about to say.  
  
"No, I didn't. But I had the control of the group who gave me the magic. They had control and I had it through them."  
  
"I don't use one and neither did Tara."  
  
"Tara had a wand, it was her mother's. She used it occasionally but she was like you. A wildcard. Someone who has the ability to control the magic. But Tara was able to use her mother's wand."  
  
"What was it?" Dawn asked softly but Giles was looking straight at the redhead.  
  
"It was willow wood, 13 inches, a core of unicorn hair."  
  
Willow bit her lip and the tears welled up in her eyes. The pain of Tara's death had eased but the thought of her lover wielding a wand made of her named wood sent a stab of longing through her. Dawn moved over to Willow and hugged her comfortingly.  
  
"So we stay here for three days?" Dawn asked eventually "with people who don't like us?"  
  
"I'm afraid so Dawn. We can't risk going out again, especially now that we know Voldemort knows there is a new power in London and he has people looking for it."  
  
"I'll stay here then" offered Willow "If it's me they're looking for."  
  
"It might not be you they're looking for, Willow. You're not the only one with power here." Giles looked at Dawn. "I believe they might be sensing the power that you have. I don't want to take the risk that something might happen to either of you."  
  
"I don't have any power" said Dawn in confusion.  
  
"I believe that as the Key you were imbued with powers that have not come to the surface yet. You have a natural aptitude for handling magic, although I think that would be improved by using a wand."  
  
"I get a wand?" Dawn looked excited "Cool."  
  
"Your blood would still activate the dimensional lock as it were, it would still bring the dimensional barriers down. I believe that you have other powers as well which are as yet unexplored. It's something we can talk about when we get back to Los Angeles. Perhaps there is someone at Wolfram and Hart who will be able to help you explore the extent of your powers."  
  
"But in the meantime, we're stuck here?" Dawn said again and Giles shrugged and then nodded.  
  
Ginny rapped her knuckles on the door and poked her head round the door, a cheery smile on her face.   
  
"Tea, anyone?" 


	11. Secrets and Revelations

Harry Potter was, Dawn decided, a pretty nice guy. He was cute and reminded her a little of Xander, making her laugh at his silly jokes. His girlfriend, Hermione Granger, was cool too. She and Harry had taken Giles and the others' appearances calmly, Harry ignoring the fact that Giles had been a Slytherin, instead focusing on the fact he was a Watcher and questioning him on it. Giles answered Harry's questions but Dawn noticed he was being a little vague with his answers. He had not mentioned anything about Willow being a magic user or Dawn having powers as well. He had spoken briefly about Angel and Spike and Harry had wanted to know all about Buffy, Faith and the rest of the Slayers.   
  
Willow ate her meal quietly, her senses tingling. She could feel the dislike in the room, dislike and fear. Harry had a great deal of power. Willow eyed the scar on his forehead. Oh yes, that was the sign of a dark curse all right. Willow longed to touch it, to feel the magic prickle against her fingertips and flood into her mind. The pull of the magic was immense but she ignored it, and instead, she listened to Hermione telling Dawn about her job, something at the Ministry of Magic. She, Harry and Ron worked together as a team, putting together ways that people could defend themselves against Voldemort, not to defeat him but just to give them enough time to get away to safety.   
  
Hermione. Yes. She was another one with some hefty power. Willow would like to see what this girl could do if tested. She reminded Willow of herself when she had first met Buffy. Smart, intelligent, definitely the brains of the outfit. But there was something else here, something Willow recognised. Fearlessness, courage and bravery. Willow stirred her dinner idly, wondering if Hermione would have been as impulsive as she had been, if she would have been as ready to embrace the Dark Arts if something happened to Harry. Willow decided not.   
  
Ron Weasley was the third person who had joined them at dinner. He was much more of an unknown quantity. His red hair was cropped short, his freckles stood out on his nose, his blue eyes sparkled with good humour. Willow watched him out of the corner of her eye and realised something. Ron was in love with Hermione. And Hermione was completely oblivious to this. Ron liked Hermione, Hermione liked Harry – Willow stifled a smile – this sounded familiar. Willow liked Xander, Xander liked Buffy, Buffy liked Angel. Willow felt sorry for Ron and hoped that he would get over Hermione who was, quite obviously, very much in love with Harry.   
  
Arthur and Molly Weasley sat at the other end of the table, eating in silence. They would head back to The Burrow after tea and leave Giles, Willow and Dawn with Harry and his friends. Arthur was deeply unhappy about this and it was only the fact that Dumbledore himself had sent him an owl, emphasising his trust in Giles, that he was even allowing them in the house.   
  
Hermione noticed Dawn's eyes slide to the wand that sat by the side of her plate. Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny had not been told anything by the Weasleys, only that their guests were in need of a safe place to stay for another few days until they could get back to America. Hermione assumed they were muggles as they were using muggle transport. She smiled at Dawn and asked her if she wanted to see a trick.  
  
"Sure" said Dawn enthusiastically.  
  
Hermione made her glass dance across the table, the fork and knife spinning around them and then transfigured her cup into a rabbit which sat fatly on the table, chewing at some lettuce that Ron had fed it.   
  
"Why do you need to use a wand?" Dawn asked "Can't you do magic without it?"  
  
Hermione shook her head "All witches and wizards have wands. Wandless magic is practically unheard of. You have to have immense control and power to use magic without a wand. Not even Professor Dumbledore could manage without one." Hermione missed the look that Dawn and Willow exchanged when she said this. Willow was stunned. Giles had not mentioned this to her. She had never known she was supposed to use a wand, perhaps if she had done, the magic would have come easier in the early days. She remembered how, day after day, she would practice to levitate a pencil until finally she could make it fly up into the air on command. The power flowed easily through her now and she hardly ever had to focus to control the power. Willow wondered what she would be like with a wand, how much easier her learning curve would have been.   
  
"May I?" Dawn asked and Hermione held her wand out to Dawn. Dawn took the wand, running her fingers down the wood, swishing around experimentally. It felt funny in her hands as she twirled it through the air.   
  
"It's eleven inches, ash, with unicorn hair. A good all rounder I was told."  
  
"I wouldn't know what to do with it" Dawn said but Hermione could tell that she wanted to try. Hermione showed her the swish and flick and told her the words to the first charm she had ever learned at Hogwarts. Hermione slid a spoon in front of Dawn and smiled encouragingly. She had no hope of the girl actually managing to levitate it but it was still worth a try.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa" Dawn said and flicked her wand at the spoon. It slowly lifted into the air and hung before her. Dawn smiled excitedly, not noticing the surprise on the Weasleys', Harry and Hermione's faces. She moved the wand from side to side and the spoon moved with her.  
  
"Cool" she breathed out. "Hey Willow, check this out."  
  
"You're a witch?" Harry said, confused "You didn't say."  
  
"I didn't know" Dawn said, still pre-occupied with her spoon flying, making it zoom around the table.  
  
"I don't understand." Hermione looked at Willow in consternation. "Can you do this too?"  
  
"Um…" Willow looked to Giles for help. He had been listening and had half hoped that the conversation would have stopped well before this. He met the panicky eyes of his protégé and knew that anything he said now would be closely listened to. He suspected Arthur had guessed who Willow was and was incredibly angry with him for bringing her to this house. He inclined his head to Willow and left it to her to make the decision.  
  
"Can you?" Harry asked, backing his girlfriend up, watching the redhead looking worriedly at Rupert Giles who was obviously wishing that they could get out of this.   
  
"Yes" Willow said quietly "I can."  
  
"Try the levitation charm" Hermione urged and Dawn passed her wand to Willow who held it uncertainly before looking up at Giles, a mute appeal for help in her eyes.   
  
"Just as Hermione showed Dawn" he said "swish and flick, and the charm is Wingardium Leviosa."  
  
With much trepidation, Willow moved the wand awkwardly and mumbled the charm. Some black smoke poured out of the end of the wand but the spoon did not stir from the table and Willow laid Hermione's wand down thankfully. She had not wanted the spell to work and she was relieved that it hadn't. All the same, the black smoke from the end of the wand worried her. The same thing had happened when she had used Giles' wand.  
  
Hermione picked her wand up and stared at it and then at Willow.   
  
"It's never done that before. I thought you said you were a witch as well?" she questioned.  
  
"It doesn't always work" Willow said "I'm not that experienced."  
  
Hermione turned to Giles who had taken a gulp of his tea which had gone down the wrong way as Willow had spoken.   
  
"Are you alright Mr Giles?" she asked in concern.  
  
"Fine" he choked, his face turning red.  
  
Willow carried on with her dinner, glad that the moment had passed. The chatter around the table commenced again but Willow was aware she was being watched. She looked up and found the eyes of Arthur Weasley on her. She gave him a smile but he did not smile back but instead glared at Giles.  
  
Dinner finished quietly, Molly Weasley clearing the table with a swish of her wand. Willow took herself upstairs, needing to be alone. All her confusion and hurt that had faded since Tara died had come flooding back and she couldn't deal with being sociable at the same time.   
  
Dawn had disappeared with Ginny and Hermione so they could show her some more tricks with Hermione's wand.  
  
Giles was about to leave the kitchen when the door slammed shut in front of him. He turned round and Arthur Weasley was standing at the other end of the room, the table between them. He was angry, bright spots of colour standing out on his cheeks. Giles sighed when he saw this. Arthur angry was never a pretty sight and never a good thing. When roused, he had a temper that rivalled Lucius Malfoy's and he was angry now.  
  
"It's her, isn't it?" Arthur said quietly, his temper under control for the moment. "You brought her here."  
  
"I didn't plan on it Arthur. There's no need for you to be angry."  
  
"No need to be angry? You bring the witch who nearly brought the world to it's knees, into this house?"  
  
Giles sighed. He should have expected something like this. "Willow is not the person she was. She has not touched the Dark Arts for over a year now. She has herself well under control."  
  
"Under control? You call that under control?"  
  
"The spell did not work Arthur."  
  
"You bring a woman like that into this house, you put us all in danger! How could you be so thoughtless. You know how important Harry is to this cause!"  
  
"Arthur" Giles' voice was calm but carried a threat of menace. Arthur Weasley was forcibly reminded of why Rupert Giles had managed to scare the hell out of him when he was younger. "Willow is not going to lose her mind, nor is she going to become Voldemort's new plaything. The three of us will leave on Thursday to go to Heathrow and we will fly back to the States. You need not see us again."  
  
"I don't know why you came here in the first place" Arthur Weasley grumbled.  
  
"I believe you were waiting to see me?" Severus Snape materialised in the fireplace amid green flames and stepped out, shaking his robes. He gave Arthur Weasley a disdainful look but held his hand out to Giles who shook it firmly.  
  
"Ripper."  
  
"Sev. It's good to see you again."  
  
"I must be brief. I cannot risk being found away from the school at the moment." Severus Snape sat himself down and Giles settled himself opposite him. Molly and Arthur Weasley took seats at the table as well, signalling their intention to hear what was going on.  
  
"I hear your little one has been getting herself into trouble, Ripper." Sev met the green eyes of Rupert Giles who sighed.  
  
"You've seen Ethan then?" Giles answered and Sev nodded.  
  
"Just for a moment or two, he stuck his head in to let me know what was going on. But I thought you might care to enlighten me as to what actually happened."  
  
"What was going on?" asked Molly Weasley "you did say that Willow had stayed out of trouble?"  
  
"She has." Giles ignored the question and instead spoke to Snape. "Did everything go according to plan?"  
  
"It did" Snape confirmed, smoothing his black hair off his face. "Ethan left them at the gates to the house and apparated away as they were coming round."  
  
"What happened?" Arthur insisted "You must tell us."  
  
"No Arthur. I mustn't anything! I don't have to tell you a goddamned word OK? If we had a choice we wouldn't be here but this is the safest place for Dawn and Willow and I'll be damned if I'm going to put them in any more danger. What happened to bring us here is none of your business."  
  
Arthur sat back in his chair, stunned by this outburst from Giles. Molly tugged gently at her husband's arm.  
  
"Come on dear. He's right. This really isn't any of our business. I'm sure Rupert will tell us anything we need to know." She stared hard at Giles who nodded back at her. The Weasleys left the room, leaving Giles and Snape alone at the table.  
  
"If I ask what happened, am I going to get my head bitten off as well?" Snape enquired dryly.  
  
Giles sighed. "Dawn saw Draco and Lucius and inadvertently led them back to Ethan's place where we were staying. Willow managed to obliviate both of them. But not before I saw that Draco had taken the Mark" Giles said sadly. "I failed him. We all did."  
  
"I can keep an eye on him for the moment" Snape said. "You're not to worry about him."  
  
Giles paced restlessly around the room. "How can I not worry about him? He was so close. So bloody close."  
  
"It wasn't your fault. You can't save everyone" Snape said. He rarely offered comfort but he felt a little sorry for Rupert Giles.  
  
"I can try."  
  
********************************  
  
"Why don't you come with us to Diagon Alley with us tomorrow?" Ginny asked. "We could get you a wand."  
  
Dawn thought back to Giles' stern admonition that they would not be leaving the house. She could be recognised. They couldn't take the risk. She shook her head regretfully to a chorus of "oh why nots" from the girls. How could she tell them? Giles had made it plan that he was not popular with these people, neither were the Malfoys. Dawn had decided not to mention Draco's time with them in LA. Nor would she mention exactly how she felt about Draco, how her heart had leapt when she had seen him, when he had kissed her in the kitchen. He wouldn't remember that kiss.  
  
Hermione was saying something to her but Dawn hadn't been listening to her. She jerked back to reality and focused in on what Hermione was suggesting.  
  
"Giles has said I'm not supposed to leave the house."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we need to keep a low profile. I can't go anywhere that I might be recognised."  
  
"Who would recognise you?" Ginny asked.   
  
There was silence in the room for a moment until Dawn raised her bright blue eyes and looked at her new found friends. Giles' words rang in her mind. 'They won't understand'.   
  
"I can't. I just can't. OK?" 


	12. True Colours

Notes: I've had some reviews from people who don't like the way I'm portraying Arthur Weasley so let me get something straight. My intention is not to portray him as a bad guy. The point is, is that Giles was a Slytherin at Hogwarts. He was one of Lucius Malfoy's friends at school and he was a Death Eater. This would make him a bad guy. And even if he isn't one now, Arthur Weasley would always think of him as a bad guy. All Weasley wants to do is to protect his children, Harry and Hermione. He cannot bring himself to trust Giles, even if Dumbledore does. What he does, he does out of the want to protect his family and friends and not because I think he's a bad person. Please don't persecute me for this.   
  
Notes2: Apologies for any historical stuff which is wrong. Sorry if the last few chapters have been more exposition than anything else but it all needs to be done for everything else to make sense. There is a statement in this that people may disagree with but I'll explain why I think it is Giles that saved Willow from herself. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoying it.  
  
After two days of being cooped up in the house Willow was about ready to go stir crazy. She longed to get out into the world and feel the air on her face. As it was, she was sitting in the room she shared with Dawn watching the rain pour down outside. She drummed her fingers restlessly on the glass, clicking her nails on the window pane. There was a quiet knock on the door and Giles opened the door, greeting her with a smile which quickly turned into a frown when he saw her expression.  
  
"I don't remember it raining this much the last time I was here" Willow said, turning away from the gloomy day outside. With a flick of her hand the lights came on the room and Giles' frown deepened.  
  
"Oh come on. It's OK if they don't see me. And there's only you and me here in this room."  
  
"All the same Willow, I think I would prefer it if we didn't tempt fate."  
  
She pouted at him but he made her promise not to use it, even in the house.   
  
"It's only another day Willow."  
  
"Yeah, well, at least Dawn is getting some benefit out of this. She's really improving with that wand of Hermione's."  
  
Giles noticed the bitterness in her voice and sighed. It was bound to come eventually. He knew that sooner or later she would have found out about this world and she would hold him responsible for not involving her earlier. He blamed himself for not spotting her earlier, for not getting her proper training. Look where it had led. When he had seen her in the magic shop that day he had seen himself at a young age. He would never forgive himself for this. Willow might blame herself for losing control but he blamed himself for losing her. He should have kept a closer eye on her, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. He saw the hurt in her eyes that he had shut her out from this magical world that he had once been a part of.   
  
"Yes, perhaps when things calm down a bit I'll bring you both back here. I think you would both benefit from some time here. And perhaps some training for Dawn."  
  
"How about some training for me?"   
  
"You don't need training Willow. Not any more."  
  
"But once I did. Giles, why didn't you tell me?" Willow laid a gentle hand on his arm and he saw that she wasn't angry with him. Just hurt that he had shut her out. He had shut all of them out. This was a part of him that he had not been prepared to share. Willow might be ashamed of her behaviour after Tara's death but Giles had twenty years of bad behaviour to regret. He looked up at her and she saw the pain in his face.   
  
He was embarrassed. He was ashamed.   
  
"I have a right to my secrets as well Willow" he whispered "and I couldn't. There was so much to contend with. Always another demon to fight, another fight to the death. I kept telling myself that I would tell you later, tell you afterwards. But I never had the chance. And you learned so quickly. Eventually I told myself that you didn't need to know. I'll always regret not telling you sooner."  
  
He seemed so lost. So lonely. Willow hugged him closely, sorry that she had brought him to this.   
  
"I'm so sorry Willow. I should have brought you here long before, given you the opportunity to learn."  
  
"It' OK Giles. You were a good teacher."  
  
"No good enough, was I?"  
  
And she saw in that moment that he had never forgiven himself for letting her slide into darkness, that he blamed himself as much as she blamed herself.  
  
"Giles, it's OK. We're fine now, aren't we? You're not a Death Eater or whatever they're called and I'm all green eyed today – see?" she turned her face up to his and he saw the unshed tears glimmering in the eyes that had remained unchanged over the last seven years. The innocent girl he had met had grown into an experienced and powerful woman but her eyes were still those of the child he had known. Only when she was angry, truly angry and accessing the Dark Arts, did they darken to black.   
  
"OK" he said, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Right, is there anything you think I might need to know before we go any further?" she gave him am impish grin.  
  
They sat on the bed in silence for a moment and then Giles spoke.  
  
"There is something you need to know."  
  
Willow looked at him enquiringly but what he said wasn't what she had expected.  
  
"I always thought if I had a daughter, she might be something like you. I have watched you grow, I've seen you deal with death and pain, I've seen your smile light up a room. I've seen you do some bloody stupid things but I've seen you do some amazing ones as well. I am very proud of you."  
  
Her smile glimmered in the dim afternoon light. "Well, since we're in the mood for confessions I have something to tell you too."  
  
Giles raised an eyebrow but she continued, her hands on his, the pale skin a contrast against his roughened tanned hands.   
  
"I guess you know what a special person Buffy is. Brave, beautiful, funny, all save the worldy. Xander didn't even look at me when she was around. Only Oz did. And you. You made me feel important. Needed. Special. My mom and dad weren't around a lot but I always knew you were there if I needed you. And I guess when it mattered, even when I thought I didn't need anyone, you were there. You risked your life to save me. And I never really said thank you for that."  
  
"You don't have to say it" he said but she put her hand up and continued.  
  
"I know, better than anyone, the risk you took carrying that sort of magic. I may not have understood then but I understand now." Willow ran out of words to explain how she felt, but she knew Giles know what she was trying to say. She gave him a tiny smile and shrugged. "I love you too."  
  
Giles and Willow spent the rest of the afternoon in their room, talking over old times, laughing over past jokes and teasing each other. They shared their memories, Willow telling Giles about Oz and Giles, for the first time in as long as he could remember, speaking of Jenny.  
  
When Dawn came in after spending the day with Hermione and Ginny having impromtu magic lessons, she found them seated companionably together on the floor, in front of the fire, deep in conversation.  
  
"Where have you two been all day?" she exclaimed.  
  
"We have been here, as you can see" Giles gestured expansively to the room and Willow, who was lying on the floor, her head resting on his leg. Dawn had never seen Willow look so relaxed and Giles looked younger than his years. They looked like old friends who had rediscovered each other.   
  
"Hermione has been teaching me some more charms with her wand. When can I get one?"  
  
"We can't go to Diagon Alley on this trip I'm afraid Dawn. I promise to bring you back when things calm down a little."  
  
"Can't we get one in LA?" she asked, her face falling like a little girl denied a new toy.  
  
"The best wands are bought from Ollivander. And he is here in London. I'm sorry to make you wait Dawn. But I think it safest."  
  
She pouted a little, reminding Giles of Buffy when she didn't get her own way but nodded, resigned to having to wait for her shopping trip.  
  
"I assume dinner is ready" Giles said and Dawn nodded.   
  
He followed the girls downstairs and took his place at the end of the table. Harry and Hermione were already sitting at the table with Ron, all eagerly talking about something new which had cropped up at work. Molly and Arthur Weasley had stopped by that evening for dinner and Arthur, if it was possible, was even more jumpy that ever.   
  
Dawn, Giles and Willow stayed silent through the meal but listened silently.  
  
"There's been a sudden influx of Death Eaters in London. Voldemort has them searching for something, some special source of power that he hopes to use against Dumbledore."  
  
Arthur and Molly's gazes slid straight to Willow and she flushed suddenly under their severe scrutiny. Giles caught Willow's embarrassment and wished he could deflect their disapproval. He wanted to show them the Willow that he knew not the frightening witch they perceived her to be. But Hermione's next words made his blood run cold.  
  
"It's an ancient power. Something incredibly powerful. Not a witch or a wizard but something else. Voldemort can't figure out what it is just that he knows he wants it."  
  
"How do you know this, Hermione?" Ron asked, picking at his dinner.  
  
Hermione had the grace to look discomfited. She fidgeted for a moment and then answered the question. "I…um…happened to be walking down a corridor when a meeting was taking place. I happened to overhear a conversation which caught my attention."  
  
"Hermione!" Harry was surprised "You eavesdropped on a Ministry meeting?"  
  
"We were a bad influence" Ron said in awe.  
  
"I did a little research as well" Hermione began but Ron interrupted her.  
  
"There's a surprise"  
  
She shot him a bored look but continued to the growing interest of the Weasleys and the mounting horror of Dawn, Willow and Giles.  
  
"It's an ancient power, a source of magic, protected for thousands of years by monks, worshipped by them. About four years ago the Ministry monitored a situation in a town named Sunnydale, in America. The source or, for want of a better term, the Key, was distilled into human form to hide it from the eyes of the goddess Glorificus. Glorificus was banished from her hell dimension, doomed to wander the Earth in the body of a young male and had her powers bound whilst in this form."  
  
"This sounds like a more than a little research Hermione" Harry said sounding unsurprised but his girlfriend shrugged.  
  
"You know. Once I start I just can't stop."  
  
"So, tell us more about this Key thing." Ron was fascinated.  
  
"Glorificus overcame her human prison and began her search for the Key. She intended to return to her dimension, even if she had rip this one to shreds to do this. She carried out a ritual which would mean her use of the Key would enable her to return to her dimension."  
  
"What kind of ritual?" Harry asked.  
  
"I don't know" said Hermione, frowning, "the information was sketchy at best. From what I can tell, the ritual began and the Key was used to open an interdimensional portal. Somehow, the reports don't say, the portal was closed and the human form of Glorificus was killed which meant that she died as well. There haven't been any more reports until now. Somehow the Key has resurfaced in London and Voldemort can sense it. He's sent everyone he can after it. "  
  
"I wonder how they used the Key to open the portal" Harry mused.  
  
"Bloodletting."   
  
Everyone turned to look at Dawn as she spoke in a hollow tone of voice. She stood up and lifted her sweater up, revealing the thin white scars that stood out on her brown belly.  
  
"Glory used my blood to open a portal to get to her own dimension. In doing so she would have brought all the barriers between the dimensions and released all sorts of creatures on the world."  
  
Hermione stretched out her hand as if to touch the scars but pulled her hand back at the last moment. Harry stared at the young woman whom they had all taken for an innocent child. Her blue eyes were vacant as she spoke.  
  
"For the portal to be closed, the blood had to stop flowing. My sister, Buffy, leapt into the portal and it was her blood that closed it."  
  
"What happened to her?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"She died."  
  
"Oh god" Molly couldn't help herself. "You poor child. To lose a sister."  
  
"But, I don't understand" Ron said "You've talked about Buffy. She lives with you in LA."  
  
Willow sheepishly put up her hand "That would be my fault" she said.  
  
"I think you've got some explaining to do" said Arthur glaring at Giles who had remained silent through this revelation.  
  
"It wasn't Giles' fault" Willow said "He didn't even know. I did it on my own. I thought, we all did, she was in Hell. I brought her back. I didn't realise she wasn't."  
  
"Where was she?" Harry asked but the look on Willow's face told him everything. "Not in Hell?"  
  
"Nope" Willow put her arm around Dawn's shoulders in comfort.  
  
"I am the Key. It's my power that Voldemort has sensed and is searching for."  
  
"I thought it was you" Arthur said to Willow before he could help himself. She shook her head.  
  
"Why? Willow can't even perform a spell." Hermione was confused.  
  
"How do you think I brought Buffy back, Hermione?" Willow asked.  
  
"You're a witch?"   
  
"She's more than a witch. She's The Witch. The Ministry kept it quiet but two years ago a power rose that rivalled Voldemort himself."  
  
"That would be my fault too" Willow said but she showed no shame or embarrassment. She had dealt with this and she could face what she had done unafraid. Everyone at the table stared at her, Arthur and Molly in fear, Hermione, Harry and Ron in curiosity.  
  
"Wow, you lived in a scary place" Ron said frankly.  
  
"You have no idea" Willow smiled "It was a Hellmouth, a mystical convergence. For reasons that I'm not going to go into, I delved into the Black Arts, almost brought the world to an end. But at the last minute I was saved."  
  
"You were?" Hermione was rapt in Willow's story. "Who by?"  
  
"Giles" Willow's warm smile lit up the room and all the incredulous stares switched from her to Giles who instantly went red.  
  
"So what happened yesterday when you used my wand? You couldn't do the spell." Hermione turned back to Willow who smiled at her and pointed a finger at the cup in front of her. It moved up into the air and hung motionless above the table.  
  
"You….you don't have a wand!" Ron said in shock.  
  
"I've never needed one" Willow said simply.  
  
The silence which filled the room after this statement was unbreakable. Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't take their eyes off their new found friends.   
  
"Is there anything else we should know?" 


	13. Run But Can't Hide

Notes: Thanks to all those who have reviewed and sent me lovely emails. It's so much appreciated. The last three chapters have been pretty heavy going so thanks for sticking with it. Here comes the action.  
  
Snape watched, his lip curled, as his Lord and Master vented his fury on the Malfoys. Lucius and Draco stood before him, heads down looking humble. Severus could tell that Lucius was mortified that he was being screamed at like a child who had done something wrong. Snape was highly amused by his Master's favourite being taken down to size. Draco stood beside his father, dwarfing him with his tall figure. Draco's expression was one of regret but Snape, knowing his old student substantially better than either his father or his Master, could tell that he was bored. There was more to this situation than met the eye, he thought. How the hell the Malfoys were at the British Museum one minute, and then back to the Manor the next, with little or no recollection of how they got there, no recollection of what was going on and forgetting to meet the group of Death Eaters was anyone's guess. Voldemort had smelt a rat and hauled the Malfoys before him like a pair of naughty school boys.  
  
Voldemort snarled in anger and both Lucius and Draco flinched as he hurled a curse at them, causing them both to fall to their knees as agony coursed through their bodies. Voldemort abruptly stopped the surge of power flowing through them, allowing them to fall to the ground, panting, sweating and gasping for breath.  
  
"I trust you will not fail me again Lucius" Voldemort purred. His tone sharpened as he gave his orders. The Death Eaters were to return to London, someone was obviously being protected and even if the obliviate spell on the Malfoys could not be broken, it gave itself away by its very presence. Snape sighed to himself. He wondered if Giles and the others had managed to get an earlier flight back to LA from Heathrow.  
  
Looking back, Severus Snape would always regret not guarding his thoughts in Voldemort's presence. He had been unaware of the looks that Voldemort was throwing his way, he had not even noticed the tendrils of thought that had forced their way into his head. It was, therefore, a complete surprise to him when Voldemort's voice sounded in his mind.   
  
"You will tell me everything you know Severus."  
  
Voldemort gestured lazily and Snape found himself no longer in control of his body. He had seriously underestimated the power of Voldemort and no matter how he tried, how he fought or concentrated, somehow he could not regain control.   
  
Draco's vision cleared and saw Severus Snape walk jerkily to the centre of the room. He stood as if he was being held up by his shoulders rather than standing on his feet, his brown eyes unusually vacant, staring out of his pale face. He began to talk, the words being dragged from his unwilling mouth. Draco listened in horror as he heard Snape give away Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg and oh his sweet mother fucking Merlin, had Snape just said Dawn Summers? His heart sank and his thoughts betrayed him. Voldemort's gaze snapped to him, his attention diverted from Snape and allowing the Hogwarts Potion Master to sink unceremoniously to the floor.  
  
Voldemort stepped off his throne and glided down to where Draco had managed to drag himself to his knees. He put a knarled finger underneath his chin and effortlessly lifted him to his feet. Draco managed to keep his balance as the eyes of Voldemort bored relentlessly into him. His knowledge of Dawn, of Giles, of Willow's power and his time in Los Angeles was wrenched from his mind, leaving him breathless, nauseous and in unimaginable pain.   
  
A triumphant smile spread across Voldemort's features as he realised that victory was within his grasp. Draco stared up at his Lord as the Dark Mark burned painfully on his arm.  
  
"Now the hour of my victory is close, my followers" Voldemort laughed evilly. "Go now, nothing will stand in your way. I have had enough of sneaking around hiding from muggle eyes. Do what you have to do but bring these three before me." Voldemort pressed one hand painfully to Draco's forehead and gestured with his wand. Three images appeared in mid air, a young looking brunette, blue eyes and a beautiful smile, an older red haired girl with a sad expression and a man they had all once known, Rupert Giles.   
  
"I want no excuses, no apologies, no lies. If you cannot come back with them, do not come back at all."  
  
The cloaked Death Eaters apparated out of the meeting room, leaving Voldemort with his victims. Voldemort returned to his throne and lounged back on it comfortably. He looked down at the three broken men before him.  
  
"Hmmm. What to do, what to do, what to do with all of you?" he pondered clicking his wand against his long nails.   
  
Lucius lay, now unconscious, on the stone flagstones, his breathing shallow and irregular. It only took a brief dip into his mind for Voldemort to know that he had known nothing of this. He dismissed him out of hand, flicking his wand and apparating his former favourite back to his overbearing, over decorated and incredibly gothic manor house.   
  
That leaves two, he mused. One whose betrayal had been suspected for a long time. This was the first opportunity Voldemort had had to gain anything from it. The headquarters of the Order of Phoenix were still masked from him, his search of Snape's memory had revealed a blank spot. Typical Dumbledore, he thought, but he hadn't been able to mask the presence of Rupert Giles. It was worth breaking him just to find his old favourite was alive and well after all.  
  
"I'll deal with you later Severus" Voldemort said silkily, a sudden burst of power springing from his wand to Snape. The energy crackled around his black robed body, causing him to writhe in agony before the energy finally earthed itself, leaving Snape deeply unconscious.  
  
"Come, come, Mr Malfoy do get up. I know you're faking."  
  
Draco, who had managed to stagger back up to his feet, shook his blonde head to clear the muzzinesss that Voldemort's little walk around his brain had caused. He glared at Voldemort with all of his hate but couldn't raise the energy to hurl a hex at him.   
  
"So, you finally met your godfather?"   
  
Draco's head jerked up at this and then he winced as pain shot through him. The after effects of the curses that Voldemort had punished him with.  
  
"What did he tell you? That you could escape? That you could resist the dark side?"  
  
Draco managed to suppress a giggle that was working it's way up and out of him. The old evil bastard was completely unaware that he sounded like Darth Vader. So would that make him Luke Skywalker?   
  
"Darth Vader? Skywalker? What a muddled mind you have Draco." Sod it, Voldemort was still in his mind. He made a concerted effort to try and block him but the pain flooded through him again.  
  
"I wouldn't try that if I were you." Voldemort tilted his head thoughtfully to one side, taking in the angry looking young man. He chuckled to himself. He wondered how close Draco had managed to get to Giles. Ripper, despite his name and all appearances, had always had a soft spot for the kid. He had managed to fake his death, well enough to take him in and Voldemort gave him credit for that. Of course he would also give punishment for that.   
  
"I have a very important job for you Mr Malfoy. I think that you may be able to redeem yourself in my eyes if you can manage to complete this job without mishap."  
  
To his credit, Draco folded his arms and stuck his chin out, determined to stand up to him. Voldemort sighed. Such spirit. What a shame he would have to break it. Of course, it was the breaking that made it fun.  
  
"What is this job?"  
  
Voldemort beckoned to Malfoy who found himself moving to kneel at his Lord's feet. Voldemort leaned down until his mouth was level with Draco's ear. His foul smelling breath washed across Draco as he breathed the word that made his heart stop and his blood chill.  
  
"Bait, Draco. You're going to be bait."  
  
******************************************  
  
The flurry of packing that was going through Grimmauld Place left the men absolutely mystified. Quite how Willow and Dawn had managed to spread their belongings all the way through the house was completely beyond Giles and he, together with Harry and Ron watched as Ginny, Hermione, Willow and Dawn swept through every room, picking up clothes, hairclips, shoes, books and all the little souvenirs that they had accumulated during their few weeks in London.   
  
Giles shook his head when he saw Dawn sitting on her suitcase to try and close it. Ginny rolled her eyes and took out her wand.  
  
"Haven't you learned anything?" Ginny twirled her wand and the contents of the suitcase shrank down to leave more room for her shoes, another two or three books and some pictures that she had taken of her with Hermione and Ginny. Dawn grinned unrepentantly.   
  
"Perhaps if I had a wand?" she hinted to Giles but he assumed a stern expression.  
  
"Next time" he admonished her.   
  
Willow zipped her large leather rucksack up and laid her suede coat on the top of it.   
  
"I'm ready" she announced to the room generally.  
  
"About time too" Giles teased "you two are worse than Buffy when it comes to packing."  
  
Hermione came into the room, an unreadable expression on her face.   
  
"Giles, there's a message for you downstairs." Giles followed Hermione out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen where the fire blazed brightly. Dumbledore's head sat fair and square in the centre of the hearth.   
  
"Rupert, I'm afraid the worst has happened. Severus has disappeared and I cannot trace his whereabouts. Also missing is Draco Malfoy. You must get yourselves out the country immediately."  
  
"Willow ….."  
  
"No" Dumbledore almost shouted the word, his breath puffing the ashes out on to the kitchen floor. "She must not use her magic. You must travel by muggle means as you originally planned. They won't dare attack in a public place."  
  
"We are almost ready to leave" Giles began but Dumbledore cut him off.  
  
"Leave now. Get Willow and Dawn to safety."  
  
"What about Draco?" Giles asked urgently "It's our fault he's in this mess."  
  
Dumbledore looked suddenly sad "I will do everything I can. But I believe the war has begun."  
  
Dumbledore's head vanished in a mass of flame and Giles turned to see Dawn and Willow standing in the doorway. Dawn had a horrified expression on her face and Giles cursed himself for not making sure they hadn't followed him.  
  
"He's coming, isn't he?" she asked seriously and Giles nodded. "And he has Draco, doesn't he?"  
  
"Yes Dawn" Giles wouldn't lie to her.   
  
"So we need to save him. We can't leave him there. Ginny's told me about Voldemort, how evil he is. We can't leave Draco there."  
  
Giles took hold of Dawn's shoulders and forced her to look in his eyes.  
  
"Dawn, we have to. I need to get you and Willow to safety. We cannot risk either of you falling into Voldemort's hands."  
  
She stared back at him mutinously, her eyes beginning to pool with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry Dawn. Dumbledore will deal with Draco and Severus. But for now, we need to get to safety." Giles hugged Dawn close for a moment and spoke to Willow over her head. "Get our bags. I'll arrange for a car to Heathrow, we need to get there as soon as possible. We're safe here and we should be safe there. There will be lots of people around, he won't attack in public. He's not strong enough for that sort of strike."  
  
"We'll go with you Giles. Protection." Harry spoke quickly. "Just in case."  
  
Giles agreed, knowing that any help was better than none at this point. He stepped outside the house and used his mobile phone to call the Watcher's Council to arrange a car from Grimmauld Place to Heathrow.   
  
Willow headed upstairs to fetch their bags, levitating them downstairs in front of her as she walked down behind them carrying their coats. Hermione watched, fascinated as always by Willow's magic.   
  
The car drew up outside and waited patiently by the kerb, not sounding its horn. The vehicle already drew enough attention to itself, the large sleek black car easily taking their bags and Giles, Willow and Dawn. Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed into the car as well but Ginny said she would stay behind. If something happened, someone would need to be at Grimmauld Place.  
  
The car made its way through the London traffic, deftly slipping in and out of lanes, driving straight through the centre of town and then out the other side following the signs for the airport. Giles hurried them out of the car, and into the terminal building. They checked in in record time, dumping their bags on the conveyor belt. They had picked up Giles' sense of urgency. Dawn had never seen Giles twitchy before but it was the only way to describe him now. He was looking over his shoulder every two moments.  
  
It was at they were moving towards customs to go through to duty free lounge that Hermione tugged on Giles' sleeve. He looked down at her and saw the worry in her eyes.   
  
"I don't want to alarm you but I just saw Goyle and Crabbe ducking behind that wall."  
  
Giles' heartbeat sped up and he waited a beat before glancing causally over his shoulder. The two recognisable figures were caught out this time, not having time to hide. He met their eyes levelly and realised that he and Dumbledore had severely underestimated Voldemort.   
  
Their hope that he would not attack in a public place was foundless. He had sent his Death Eaters here to Heathrow with the intent of taking himself, Willow and Dawn and he didn't care if he was seen by the entire terminal. Every time he looked up, he saw someone else. Now they had been seen they were not taking any precautions to hide themselves.   
  
Giles hustled them on faster, pulling Dawn with him. Harry, Ron and Hermione tactfully pulled their wands out, Giles slid his down from his sleeve and Willow took a deep breath, preparatory to using her own magic.   
  
"No Willow you must not use your magic." Giles whispered to her urgently.  
  
"Why not?" she whispered back. "The reason for me not using it was so they couldn't track us. Looks like that's already happened. I can protect us more effectively that those three" she nodded to Harry, Ron and Hermione.   
  
Giles sighed "Don't get angry then. Whatever happens. If Voldemort wants us, he'll want us alive." Or he'll want you alive, he mentally amended. He was certain that all that awaited him was endless torture and pain for betraying the Dark Lord.  
  
The first sign that the Death Eaters were beginning their attack was a piercing scream from a woman behind them. Someone had hurled a hex and it had hit her instead of Harry. Harry turned, standing his ground but Willow stepped before him, raising her hands and making a pushing movement with them. The Death Eater went flying backwards into a display of books, scattering them everywhere.   
  
The group began to move together, closing in protectively around Dawn. Hermione sent several hexes in the direction of two Death Eaters who were creeping around behind them and sent them wheeling into each other but another two took their place. Ron came to stand by her side and together they sent curse after hex, protecting Dawn's back.   
  
Harry had placed himself next to Dawn, remembering all the Dark Arts Defence spells he had learned with Hermione, the power flowing easily through him. Giles was exerting his own form of magic, hurling spells left, right and centre with the odd punch thrown in. Willow stood protectively in front of Dawn, keeping a magic shield up around them.   
  
Muggles were collapsing as they were hit with random spells. There was no pretence now about keeping the magic world a secret from these people. This war had just spilled over into their world, Voldemort had drawn a line and dared them to walk across it.   
  
A group of policemen skidded around the corner at a run, their bullet proof vests strapped on and their weapons raised.   
  
"Put your weapons down" shouted one of them but Goyle simply turned and aimed the Cruciatus at the one who had spoken. He fell to the floor writhing around, legs and arms jerking in pain.   
  
There was a scream from behind Dawn and she turned to see Hermione drop to the floor as if punched. She bent over her to see if she was still breathing but the girl lay silent on the floor, blood seeping from a wound on her head.   
  
"Hermione" shouted Harry, distracted for a moment at the sight of his girlfriend unmoving on the ground. A hooded figure shouted out "Expelliarmus" and Harry's wand was pulled from his fingers and shot into the waiting hand of the Death Eater who was approaching.  
  
Willow, beginning to tire from the constant barrage of spells being aimed at her, pointed a finger at the menacing figure who was moving closer and whispered "Thicken". The air around the Death Eater solidified around him and held him fast.   
  
"Expelliarmus" shouted Harry and his wand returned itself to his thankful grasp.  
  
"Willow, take Dawn and get out of here. Any way you can think of." Giles shouted.  
  
"Apparate" yelled Ron.  
  
Willow took Dawn's hands to focus her mind on sending the pair of them as far away from the fight as possible but in doing so took her attention off the incoming spells. A lucky curse distracted her and it was the work of a moment for a Death Eater to punch her hard across the face, felling her to the floor. Dawn turned to face him, picking up Hermione's wand from her lifeless fingers.   
  
"Wingardium Leviosa" she screamed, flicking the wand and the Death Eater shot into the air and crashed down head first.   
  
And still they kept coming. Soon, Harry, Ron, Giles and Dawn were standing over the fallen bodies of Hermione and Willow. Dawn was struggling to keep up and finally opted for the only true way she knew how to fight. She moved towards the first Death Eater, ducking under his outstretched hands, laid an uppercut on him and then moved on to the next one. This one was despatched with a roundhouse kick, a sharp elbow jab to the stomach and a knee in the groin.  
  
Her movements had attracted the attention of the other Death Eaters and she was slowly moving away from Giles, Harry and Ron until she was cut off from them.  
  
Giles, Harry and Ron were too busy, occupied with trying to fight off the constant onslaught of Death Eaters until Giles realised something. They weren't trying to kill them, they were trying to keep them busy. He turned too late to see Dawn step away from them and two Death Eaters block her off from them.  
  
"Dawn" he yelled. She turned to him and realised she was completely surrounded by the threatening figures. Her eyes met Giles' widening in horrified realisation of the position she had put herself in.  
  
Willow's eyes fluttered open and she pushed herself to sit up, seeing Dawn bravely facing down the Death Eaters. Dawn kicked one of them hard in the stomach but was instantly grabbed by the neck by another one of them. The Death Eater who had Dawn by the neck turned to face the others who paused in their fight.  
  
"If you want the girl to live, I suggest you hold off."  
  
Dawn struggled weakly, the vital air being slowly cut off until her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed into the Death Eater's arms.   
  
Willow was about to speak but Goyle pushed his way to the front of the Death Eaters. "I wouldn't advise if I were you, witch."  
  
She held back the tide of anger that was rushing through her. She could feel the mist coming down and struggled to contain it but she couldn't. A scream broke free and everyone close by dropped to their knees as pain lanced through their heads.   
  
"Very impressive" sneered Goyle. "However, I think you will find that screaming will not get you everything." He hoisted Dawn into his arms. "Come quietly Ms Rosenberg, Ripper. Or things will go very badly for Miss Summers here."  
  
Giles stepped forward but Ron pulled him back.  
  
"Are you crazy?" he hissed "The whole point was not to let You Know Who get his hands on the three of you."  
  
Giles shrugged the restraining hand off. "I will not leave Dawn to face him alone. Get back to Dumbledore, take Willow, Hermione and Harry."  
  
"I'm afraid Miss Rosenberg is coming with us." Goyle called out. "It's, how do you Americans say it, an all or nothing deal."  
  
Giles pulled Willow to her feet, waited for her to regain her balance. She looked weak and pale, her eyes clearing from black to green. He berated himself for letting her get to this point again and prayed silently to whichever god happened to be listening that she could keep a grip on herself.  
  
"Come come Ripper, we don't have all day." 


	14. Confusion Reigns

Notes: I'm planning on keeping the BTVS crew out of this mostly. This is a Dawn/Draco centric piece and I feel very much that Dawn should be learning to deal with life without the support of Buffy.   
  
Suddenly the terminal was full of people. The muggles lay sprawled across the floor, blooding seeping from a hundred wounds. Ministry wizards, Aurors that Harry recognised, appeared, wands drawn. Harry stole a glance down at Hermione who was still deep in unconsciousness. He was incredibly relieved to see a group of medi witches edging towards them.  
  
"It's me Voldemort wants" Willow said "let Dawn and Giles go and I'll come."  
  
"Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss Rosenberg, did you happen to miss the all or nothing part of the conversation?" Goyle said sarcastically. "Besides I believe our Master has plans for all of you. I know he's especially looking forward to seeing you again, Ripper."  
  
Willow tried to summon the strength to cast a spell which would flatten the Death Eaters before her but she couldn't focus for long enough without the shooting pains searing through her head. Dawn lay motionless in Goyle's arms and Giles stood for a moment, feeling incredibly lost. There was no choice.   
  
He stepped forward and held his arms out to take Dawn from Goyle who handed the girl to Giles and the Death Eaters surrounded them, Willow clinging to Giles to help her keep her balance.  
  
Before Harry and Ron's horrified eyes, there was a massive crack and they vanished, leaving a slowly spreading cloud of smoke. The Aurors rushed towards them now, shouting questions but Ron and Harry only had eyes for Hermione now. The medi witches took over now, pushing them aside to bend over her. One of them lifted her hand, taking her pulse, placing tender hands on either side of her head. Harry sat back on his heels, stunned by how quickly things had gone wrong.  
  
"They were waiting for us" Ron said dully "They knew we were coming. How did they know?"  
  
"Snape. Dumbledore said that Snape had gone missing. He knew when they were leaving. He must have got the information from Snape."  
  
"Or Snape told him" Ron said.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous Ron. Snape wouldn't have betrayed us. Not willingly."  
  
Ron gave Harry his best are-you-crazy look but deep down he knew that his friend was right. Just because they didn't like Snape, didn't mean he would betray them. He had put himself in some difficult situations to protect them. there was no way that he would betray them now.  
  
"We need to tell Dumbledore" said Harry. "I'll go to Hogwarts. You need to go back to the house, get Ginny and come to Hogwarts."  
  
Ron nodded but then a thought struck him. "Harry, what are we going to do? We don't even know where they are."  
  
"Dumbledore will know" Harry said hopefully. He saw one of the witches levitate Hermione's body into the air. One of the witches caught the concern on his face and came over.  
  
"We're going to take her to St Mungo's. She's been hit by a pretty strong curse. It'll take a while for her to regain consciousness. I'll send a message to Hogwarts when she has woken up."  
  
Harry nodded but was hardly comforted by this. What he really wanted was Hermione to wake up now, blinking her bright eyes at him and smiling when she saw him. He was not oblivious – he knew how Ron felt about her and part of him hated himself for being with Hermione but he loved her too and, in one of his more selfish moments, decided that he deserved to be with someone he loved. That was when he had asked her. Hardly a question and she had barely given him an answer. He remembered it suddenly, the luminous smile on her face when he had said simply "Will you?" and had taken her hand. "Yes" she had answered and then had turned her face up to the sky to feel the heat of the sun on her face. He hoped that she would be all right. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about her. They had bigger problems on hand now.  
  
Ron vanished back to Grimmauld Place and Harry gritted his teeth. He had never liked apparating that much. It made him feel incredibly sick. The world of Heathrow Airport with the Ministry wizards trying to control the damage that the Death Eaters had caused.  
  
Harry materialised in Hogsmeade Village, knowing that he would not be able to apparate into the School. He moved quickly through the village, pulling his coat around him. The gates of the School stood open, as usual, and he hurried through them, running towards the castle.  
  
He pushed open the familiar wooden doors to the main hall, avoiding Filch who was coming towards him howling about trespassers and a lack of respect. The students were eating dinner but he didn't care. He burst into the Great Hall, his footsteps echoing on the polished wooden floor. Dumbledore sat in his usual place at the top table but stood up when he saw Harry tearing towards him.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore" he panted "They're gone. They attacked……at Heathrow……right in front of everyone…..Hermione's wounded……but they took them. Willow and Giles and Dawn. I don't know where they've gone…."  
  
Dumbledore held up a hand and Harry stopped, trying to regain his breath.   
  
"I think perhaps we need to discuss this in private Harry" he said kindly and nodded briefly to Minerva McGonagall who had risen to her feet when she had seen Harry come in.  
  
"Do continue with your dinner everyone" he said and then led Harry out of the Great Hall towards his office.  
  
******************************  
  
"Well well. Willow Rosenberg. I've been looking forward to meeting you."  
  
Lord Voldemort prowled around her and she watched him nervously. She could feel the power emanating from this man and she didn't like it. He reminded her of Rack, that creepy feeling that had made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She stared up into his slitted red eyes showing a bravery she did not feel. She wondered where Giles and Dawn were.  
  
They had been separated as soon as they had materialised outside a massive castle. Giles had been beaten around the face several times before allowing them to take his wand and lead him away. Dawn had been handed on Lucius Malfoy who had been standing waiting for them outside. He had glared at the three of them with intense hatred and Willow had noted the marks on his face. She guessed that he had been severely punished for his misadventure in London and knew that she was the cause of this. He had disappeared down a corridor with Dawn and Willow herself had been led straight into the main chamber where Lord Voldemort awaited her.  
  
They had not bothered to tie her up or gag her, presumably aware that she was too weak to sustain any magic.   
  
Willow, despite her experiences in Sunnydale, her incontestable power and her knowledge, was scared. She did not know why she was here although she could hazard a pretty good guess. The three of them together were a prize that Voldemort had not been able to resist.   
  
He would attempt to get her to betray her friends, to go all Darth Willow again. She would not. She made a promise to herself at that point that she would rather die than to lose control so completely ever again. This time there was no one to pull her back if she did overstep the mark and she couldn't be sure that she had the strength to pull herself back.   
  
"I would appreciate it if you would lift the spell you have placed on Lucius and Draco Malfoy."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about" A sudden gust of power came out of Voldemort's wand and swirled around her, crackling over her skin. She whimpered a little as thousands of pins and needles pricked her skin.  
  
"Don't toy with me Miss Rosenberg. I have no patience for fools."  
  
She shot him an angry glare and made a motion with her hand.   
  
"It's done" she said.  
  
"I would not want Lucius and Draco to continue with no real memory of why they were being punished."  
  
"Punished? Why did you punish them?" Willow did not care that Lucius had suffered but she felt unaccountably guilty that Draco might have been in pain to protect them.  
  
"Carelessness, boredom. Pick a reason." Voldemort settled himself back on his throne and regarded the red head before him.  
  
She was smaller than he thought she would be. A messy mass of red hair swept back from her face. Her expression showed signs of tiredness and exhaustion but also the one thing Voldemort had expected. Defiance. Good – he was looking forward to breaking this one as well. She would not be easily turned but he would enjoy every single minute of it. With her power behind him, he would be unbeatable. And there was something else.   
  
Something else stirred within him, something he had not felt for many years. He had concubines, willing or unwilling he took them either way but taking no real pleasure in their bodies. But this woman who stood before him had something else. She had her own aura of power which he found incredibly attractive. Perhaps a consort, he mused, before dismissing the notion for the moment. It was something to be considered when she stood on their side. For the moment though, she was a danger to him.  
  
But she had a weak spot. Two, in fact. Ripper and Dawn Summers and these could be exploited. Voldemort smiled to himself. He was going to enjoy this. 


	15. Rude Awakening

When Dawn opened her eyes what she saw before her was completely unexpected. She searched her memory for what had happened, they had been at the airport, there had been a fight and someone, someone she had vaguely recognised had almost killed her. But after that? It was a blank. And now here she was in a sumptuous room lying on a high four poster bed. The walls were covered with intricately embroidered tapestries, but no pictures. A large fireplace was set into the wall in which a roaring fire was blazing. There were two chairs by the fire and one of them was occupied. She could just see the top of someone's head. The hair was blonde and it looked like Draco.   
  
"Draco?"  
  
Dawn swung herself off the high bed as the person sitting in the chair stood up and turned. She felt her stomach twist abruptly and sink into her feet. The expression on her face betrayed her feelings as the person standing opposite her held out his hand courteously to her.  
  
"Miss Summers. Please do take a seat."   
  
She folded her arms defiantly "I'd rather stand."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
Lucius Malfoy seated himself, arranging his robes around him as he did so. He tapped the small table next to him with his wand and a platter of food appeared on it. Dawn's stomach rumbled loudly – it had to be at least a day since she had eaten anything but she wouldn't give this man the pleasure.  
  
"Are you hungry? I believe the sleep spell that was cast on you was rather strong but it kept you quiet."  
  
"I'd rather starve" Dawn began but at her stomach's impatient second rumble she reached out to take an apple. Dawn settled herself reluctantly in the other chair and bit into the apple as Lucius leaned back and looked at her over his steepled fingers.  
  
"Well, well, well Miss Summers. Or can I call you Dawn?"  
  
"You called me whore earlier" Dawn reminded "You'll call me whatever you want to I suppose."  
  
"Well perhaps it is not appropriate in company so I think Dawn will do for now."  
  
"Whatever" Dawn crunched her way through the apple hungrily feeling the sweet juices run down her chin but too hungry to care.  
  
"I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that your friends are safe." Dawn's head shot up as Lucius said this. She felt guilty, she had not even thought of them.  
  
"They're OK?" she asked through a mouthful.  
  
"I said they were safe. I did not say they were OK."   
  
"What have you done to them?" Dawn put the remains of her apple down and stared at Lucius who shrugged elegantly. "If you've done anything to them….."  
  
"You'll what? You have no wand and I doubt you are powerful enough to manage without one. Your friend Willow will soon be under the thrall of my Lord and as for Rupert Giles, I doubt he will be able to lift a finger to help you. You are quite alone, my dear so I suggest you sit quietly and listen."  
  
Dawn swallowed desperately, trying to fight back the tears that were gathering. It had been a long time since she had felt this helpless.   
  
Malfoy's eyes glittered, her inner struggle was evident. She was little more than a child and would be easily broken. Odd, that such a person carried so much innate power. Of course she was not aware of it. Voldemort had sensed it when she had been brought into the castle and he had stared down at her sleeping face with such a hunger Lucius thought he would take her there and then. But he had not. He had left her with Lucius to watch over her while he dealt with Willow.  
  
"I don't understand. What do you want from us?" Dawn whispered.   
  
Lucius' face broke into a smile making him look rather handsome and much younger. Much more like Draco. Dawn wondered where he was but did not dare ask.   
  
"As far as Ripper is concerned, I believe a somewhat messy fate awaits him – he is, after all, a traitor. My Lord is very upset with his betrayal. He did not even have the decency to stay dead. Coward that he is.  
  
"Giles is a great man" Dawn couldn't help herself "He's worth a hundred of you."  
  
"Ripper will suffer the same fate as Severus Snape. If he won't serve us willingly, he will serve us unwillingly." Dawn's blood ran cold through her veins when she heard this. She knew that Giles would rather die than be forced to do something against his will.  
  
"And Willow?" she could barely bring herself to ask.  
  
"Miss Rosenberg. Yes. An example to us all. My Lord informed us of her power and how easily she was swayed to use dark arts."  
  
"Willow's good now. She wouldn't use the dark arts now."  
  
"You think not? I wonder if you can tell me what prompted her to use them in the first place?"  
  
"Tara died. She was killed right in front of her."  
  
"And it was vengeance, was it not, that drove her to use the dark arts."  
  
Dawn nodded. She was beginning to see where Lucius was going with this. Willow was a loving person and Dawn knew that Willow loved Giles and herself very deeply. There was hardly anyone more precious to her. Apart from perhaps Xander and Buffy.   
  
"So that's why you're holding me? As insurance? You'll threaten Willow with my death to make sure she stays in line and uses her power for him instead of for good?"  
  
"Oh no. Nothing so melodramatic. I believe My Lord was planning on having you killed in front of her. Such a shock should push her over the edge again."  
  
Dawn stared at him her blue eyes wide in horror.  
  
Lucius stood up and moved across the room, his robes whispering against each other as he walked. He poured himself a goblet of wine and then turned back to her. She was sitting, gazing unseeingly into space.   
  
"At least, I believe that was the original plan."  
  
His words broke through Dawn's shock and she realised he was playing with her. Playing on her feelings, her most secret thoughts. There was no defence against this. She couldn't help the tears that broke across her cheeks but she wiped them away before he saw them.   
  
"You see, My Lord Voldemort was originally going to kill you to force Willow back to the dark magic but then we discovered something rather useful about you."  
  
She met his bright blue eyes and it was at that moment she realised he knew. He and Voldemort knew what she was. But blood that opened portals wasn't useful. Messy, yes. But hardly useful unless you were an insane hell god.   
  
"You are, of course, aware that your powers do not just extend to your blood? You have so much more potential. You could be incredibly powerful."  
  
Was this it? Dawn wondered. Was this the best pitch they had? Come over to the dark side because only we can train you? She managed to hide her smile at the cheesiness of it all.  
  
"I could?" she said sounding hopeful. Perhaps she wasn't so helpless after all. She suddenly saw a very easy way to get close to them and although it occurred to her that she might be getting in over her head, this might be her chance to protect Willow and Giles, to find Draco and perhaps to find out what Voldemort was up to.   
  
Lucius eyed her. The girl seemed broken. She was still incredibly vulnerable – Ripper, Willow and Draco were all ideal ways to keep a hold on her but since Ripper would be under an imperio curse and probably wouldn't remember her and Willow would be submerged in dark arts that left his son. His son, the betrayer. The Malfoy who had walked in the light. Lucius felt sick at the thought of his son fighting alongside Harry Potter and although Voldemort had punished him severely, it was his duty as a father to discipline his son.   
  
"Yes, you could. The power of the Key is not purely that to bring down dimensional walls. You have an immense amount of power within yourself but you need to learn how to use it. We could help with that."  
  
"You could?"  
  
Lucius smiled inside. This girl was easily corruptible. She would soon be in his hands. There was something about her. He could see why Draco had been attracted to her but she was a little young for his taste. He moved to sit opposite her again and gave her a fatherly smile.  
  
Dawn shuddered inside when she saw that smile – a predator's smile. He seemed to have fallen for her act but she could not be expected to give up on her friends that easily.  
  
"What about Giles?" she asked in a small voice "And Willow?"  
  
"Willow is with Lord Voldemort as we speak. She, too, is very powerful and could benefit from his help. I admire your love for Rupert Giles but he has held you back."  
  
"He has?"  
  
"He must be aware, as we were, of your power. He was afraid to tell you. He has hidden this from you."  
  
Dawn looked suitably shocked and hurt but her mind was whirling. Had Giles known? Had he really been afraid to tell her? She bit her lip and gave Lucius Malfoy her best lost little girl smile.  
  
"I think it's time for you to come into your own Dawn." Lucius continued, pressing his advantage. "And I know that Draco would want this for you. It means you would be able to see much more of him."  
  
"But you hated me" Dawn was putting up a good fight "You called me a whore."  
  
"That was before I knew how much Draco cared for you. And before I knew how much power you had." Lucius saw the flare of hope in her eyes and he knew he was right. Draco was her weakness. And Dawn was Draco's.   
  
Dawn nodded, seemingly accepting this.   
  
"Sleep now. I'll send Draco to you when you wake. I think the two of you have a lot to talk about."  
  
Dawn watched as Lucius Malfoy swept out of the room and then went back to the huge bed. She was tired, the spell or whatever it was had not induced proper sleep, simply unconsciousness and she was tired. Dawn curled herself up underneath the covers and lay awake for some time thinking.  
  
She had to tread carefully, that much was obvious. Malfoy seemed taken in by her betrayed child act and if she went along with it for a while she might be able to save Giles and gain Willow some time. And Draco. Dawn hugged herself excitedly. She would see Draco again.   
  
Dawn slept soundly, her tiredness taking over her entire body and mind and when she woke she felt better than she had done for the last few days. She sat up in the luxurious bed and saw that the chair in front of the fire was occupied.   
  
"Draco?" she said hesitantly.  
  
The figure by the fire turned and she saw it was, indeed, Draco.  
  
She smiled when she saw him and jumped off the bed to hug him. He allowed the embrace for a moment before pulling away.  
  
"Draco?"   
  
"Is it possible that you have been as stupid as I think?" 


End file.
